Sanctuaries
by Borzoi
Summary: *Sequel to Dungeons* Klaus and Caroline have come a very long way ever since the Original Hybrid first wreaked havoc on Mystic Falls. But when old friends become new enemies, when a long-kept secret turns into a threat, when fear clouds the senses... will it strengthen their bond, or will it destroy their newfound happiness?
1. Prologue

**Hi everyone,**

**here we go again! :) **

**Sanctuaries is the sequel to my first story, Dungeons, therefore I would definitely recommend that if you have not ****already ****done so, please read Dungeons before starting with this fic, as it will not make much sense to you otherwise! :)**

**I am really, really excited to finally start publishing this sequel! Same as with Dungeons, it is entirely AU (you will remember that the first story started after 4x01 and went AU from there - Kol is still alive, there are no hunters, no ghosts, no Silas). There will be quite some fluff, A LOT of smut, and I apologize to everyone in advance for any grammar and spelling mistakes. Please be kind, English is not my first language. **

**The story finally turned out to be even longer than Dungeons, so I hope you will stay with me! **

**Last but not least, I don't own TVD / TO.**

**And you know what, guys? I'm even more nervous now than when I started publishing Dungeons, so from the bottom of my heart, I really hope you will like Sanctuaries!**

**XX**

* * *

PROLOGUE

MEHRGARH, INDUS VALLEY, 5510 B.C.

_Once, before the dark endowment had been bequeathed on him, he had had a life. A home, a family. He had been a respected member of the settlement and the community. From the very day of his birth, great accomplishments had been expected from him, for both his father and mother were of a strength and health not often found in Mehrgarh. His first fourteen summers had been free from shadows or any foreboding of the eternal night that had descended upon him like a lightning out of clear skies._

_That day. That ill-fated, foul day. _

_When the first morning light had tentatively made its way into their valley, he had silently left the house to gather with some of the other younglings. They were all proud of their settlement, which was the single most advanced village anyone had ever beheld. Where other communities lived in mere huts, Mehrgarh consisted of mud brick houses with solid walls and roofs, fighting off the cold and the heat like no other dwelling could. It made them all stronger and less prone to diseases brought by the incessant onslaught of the elements. _

_Their way down to the river had been accompanied by laughter and good-natured rivalry over women, strength and knowledge. But they all knew and accepted that one stood out among them, and he reveled in their admiration like a lizard bathed in the sunlight. As their leader, he would be the first to take today's challenge – he would swim to the opposite side of the stream and back. Avoiding the crocodiles they could already discern within the slowly meandering water._

_Never one to hesitate, he had immediately plunged into the river, accompanied by the cries and cheers of his friends. The water had been unexpectedly cold, but he ignored that as he ignored the crocodiles. He knew no fear. He had reached the opposite shore and had made it through half of the river when it happened. A crocodile approached him so fast he had no time to even think. Its mouth opened, and all he saw were teeth. Sharp, pointy teeth that would sink into his flesh in less than the blink of an eye. He closed his eyes and awaited his fate. But he never felt the deadly bite of the animal. _

_When his eyes opened again, there was not a single crocodile in sight, and he could see his friends convulsing on the ground in what seemed to be acute agony. Very swiftly, he made his way back to the shore and watched the boys in astonishment. What was happening to them? He was far from feeling any pain. No, he felt strong, powerful and… superior. Very, very superior to those poor weaklings in the dust at his feet. The tension that had gripped his body in the face of certain death left him now, and at the very same instant, his friends stopped gasping in pain. One after another, they rose to their feet and stared at him in repulsion. They had all seen that he had been a heartbeat away from death, and they had also seen that the crocodiles had disappeared. And they had all seen that he had been the only one spared of the agony they had all suffered. _

_His fate had been sealed that day. He had become an outcast whom not even his own father and mother tolerated under their roof. No one understood what had happened, but instinctively, they all knew that it was not good. Day by day, more of the villagers turned their backs on him until finally, his father had asked him to leave Mehrgarh. He was no longer willing to live with the disgrace of having sired a monstrosity._

_For many moons, he had hidden in the woods, torn between the darkest of hates and the deepest of despairs. And with every passing day, his strength had grown, nurtured by the rage that had now found a permanent home inside his heart. There were more incidents like the one that had set everything in motion, and he had begun to understand that the occurrences were in fact his to dominate. His power became such that he was capable of commanding the elements, and he decided to make good use of it. One day, he hovered in a small grove close to Mehrgarh, watching his father and mother. He had never been able to shed his yearning for his home, his family, however ill they had served him, so he came often, without being seen, to feel and behold what was lost to him. That day, he overheard his father speaking to his mother and some friends about him, voicing his relief at having rid himself and the entire village of the creature that he had once mistaken for a son. His words were harsh, belittling and humiliating, slicing him like a blade and hurting him like nothing ever had or would again. He had felt his heart turn to stone, and every kind feeling inside him finally died that day._

_That very same night, he had stood on a hill next to the river, near the village. He had looked at the nightly fires for a long while before he had raised his hands. With a deep, thundering grumble, the water had risen from the riverbed. A wave, as high as the skies, had slowly made its way towards Mehrgarh, casting a black shadow that had obscured even the moon. Amidst the desperate screams of the villagers, the wall of water had buried the settlement, washing out everything and everyone. There had been no survivors and only one witness, a man herding his goats on the opposite banks of the river._

_He was standing on top of a mountain, remembering the event that had happened so many summers ago. A God amongst men, he walked the Earth alone, feared by all, hated by many. He had no equals, no companions and nothing left to do. Not long ago, he had decided to leave this life behind and make his way to a new world. A world he himself would beget, a dark, desolate place destined to house those who, like him, had wronged this Earth. But he would imprint himself on the world of the living before he moved on._

_His father had called him a creature, and creatures he would leave behind. Creatures who had once been men like him, but were befallen by a curse as dark as his. Sharing his fate as outcasts, powerful but lonely. _

_A man turned beast, his thirst but quenched by blood, not water._

_A man turned wolf, the moon his home and his disgrace._

_A man turned spirit, his hands bequeathing light or darkness._

_Once these creatures had met the end of their natural lives, they would join his world. They would pay for their powers just the way he had. With darkness, loneliness and eternal suffering. _

_After many summers of consideration, he had decided to settle his world between the two existing ones – that of the living and that of the dead. It would take all of his powers, his entire being and everything he was to create this dominion. But he had learned something during his long, cursed life. Not even he was strong enough to build an eternal world. Nature had seen to it that the only thing eternal was the world of the dead. For everything else, there had to be a counterpoint, a way to balance and destroy it should it become too powerful. Therefore his efforts would be futile if he did not leave the world with one single means of annihilating his creation, however much he loathed the thought._

_But he would make it almost impossible for anyone to understand what it would take to end his masterpiece, and so many coincidences would have to come to pass that he was entirely certain eternity would not be much longer than the period his world would exist._

_Looking down from the mountain to the sea that spread deep beneath him, he opened his arms, embracing the world of the living for one last time. Then he closed his eyes._

_Energy burst through him, power, light, darkness. Around him, a storm began to rage, a storm so devastating it would leave a wake of destruction the likes of which no one had ever seen. Or would again. He stood in the center of what resembled the beginning and ending of all times, feeling his essence, his being drawn from him, tearing him apart and pulling him back together._

_There was not a single place on Earth where the storm could not be felt. Men, women, children and animals huddled together, sensing that something extraordinary was happening. They all feared the end of the world, and none of them would ever understand how close it truly was. _

_The storm raged for six days and six nights._

_When he opened his eyes, he smiled. He had made his way, and he would be followed by thousands over the aeons. They were all still at home in the world of the living, but soon the first condemned creatures would see what he had given rise to. A place that no one could ever mistake for a home._

_The Other Side._

* * *

HAMATH, ASSYRIA, 1050 B.C.

_The scribe glanced down at what he had just written. He was a man of knowledge and wisdom, highly regarded in Hamath and beyond, but he could not bring any meaning to the series of words he had been instructed to record. The king had given the orders in person, and the scribe obeyed without questioning his ruler. Still, he could not help but wonder at the strange text that was being dictated by the hooded man who kept his face hidden from the unforgiving sun._

_In its core, the document seemed to be an instruction. It spoke of creatures that drank blood, of magic and of men turning into wild beasts, of golden roses and the twilight. Never had a more remarkable composition of poetry, prose and riddles been put in writing. A few years ago, the scribe had been tasked with copying the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and not even that arcane manuscript could compare to this one. At the end of the papyrus scroll, the scribe had listed a large number of the most wondrous ingredients that were apparently indispensable to complete the instructions that preceded the list. _

_When he was finished, he rolled up the papyrus and stored it in the wooden box his visitor had brought with him. He looked up when the man spoke once more, his voice a mere rasp._

_"Have my gratitude for your services, scribe. You are widely renowned to be a man of discretion, which makes me hope I can rely on your silence in regard to what you have just recorded."_

_The scribe bowed and replied, "You can."_

_And the stranger could indeed. Not once had the scribe forsaken his self-imposed pledge of secrecy and he had no intention of ever doing so. He was, however, a very thorough man. Blessed with the rare talent of never forgetting a single word he had written, he had begun to clandestinely crafting copies of each and every document he was instructed to compose, and it would be no different with this one. Those copies were his protection, for they contained not few secrets that, in the hands of the wrong men, could bring down the kingdom. No one, not even his beautiful young wife, would ever learn of his secret library._

_Some coins changed hands before the hooded man took the wooden casket and left without another word. Shaking his head, the scribe gathered his instruments, stowed his payment and set off towards his home where his wife was waiting for him. On his way, he could not stop repeating the strange text in his mind. What did it all mean? His curiosity was piqued, and he wondered whether the king knew what he had instructed to be written. Who had that stranger been that the ruler himself had given order to obey under any circumstances?_

_Later that night, the scribe was panting and moaning in the embrace of his wife, a fiery young woman with the face of a queen and the body of a goddess. He had no inkling as to why she had ever chosen him, a man in the autumn of his life, scholarly but neither wealthy nor fine-looking. Alas, he no longer questioned the Gods but accepted and enjoyed the pleasures that were bestowed on him. Her soft black hair was flowing over his groin as her lips did things to his body he had not deemed possible. He groaned in despair when her mouth left him._

_"So," she purred, "what has your mysterious task been?"_

_"I cannot say," the scribe gasped. "I have given my word."_

_"I understand," she whispered, right before her hands and lips were on him again. Now her tongue made him almost mewl with pleasure. "Forgive me, husband, I was merely curious." Her mouth took hold of him determinedly and he cried out. She moved over his body sinuously like a cat, all hands and tongue and lips._

_"Ah," he moaned, "it were strange words about… oh, please!"_

_She hummed against him. "This, husband? Is it this you desire?"_

_He groaned loudly. "Yes, yes! Oh, I will tell you everything if you do carry on!"_

_A short while later the woman left in silence, never looking back at the house that had witnessed the merciless slaying of her husband._

_And that contained copies of everything the scribe had ever written._

* * *

LOUISIANA, 1718

_The two brothers were standing side by side on a slight elevation in the center of the crescent formed by the lake. Elijah looked around himself skeptically. "This is nothing but a bloody swamp, brother. It is not that I mind mosquitoes, serpents, alligators and diseases, but if you plan on establishing a settlement that is to eventually include some humans, you might want to consider an alternative location."_

_Lifting the corner of his mouth a fraction, Klaus shook his head. "I am surprised, Elijah. My older brother, the visionary, the man with such an infallible nose for golden opportunities, fails to see the potential of this place? Do have a closer look at the promise it holds for a very rich future. Here you have the river, the bayou and the lake. It eludes me how anyone would even consider naming anything after a man like the Comte de Pontchartrain, but I am digressing. Consider this – the natives have already created a portage between the headwaters of Bayou St. John_ _and the river which can be easily amplified or turned into a canal. As the bayou flows into Lake Pontchartrain and from there to the sea, you have an important and already established trade route right on your hands. With a larger settlement, trade can be expanded to considerable magnitudes, and I might even go as far as building a port for overseas shipping. There are herds of both Black and White witches hidden in the swamps to call upon, should need arise, and the darkness the area exudes makes it the perfect sanctuary for everything supernatural. Not to mention the legions of human dross no one is ever going to miss. Perfect feeding grounds, even for Kol. Name one thing this place is lacking."_

_"Dry grounds, to begin with."_

_Klaus smiled. His brother did have a point, but he had already considered that particular inconvenience in great depth, and he had developed a plan to resolve the issue. It was costly, time-consuming and complex, but it was not impossible. First of all, drainage would present a continual problem because of the geographical peculiarities of the region, and although Bayou St. John offered a natural drainage towards Lake Pontchartrain, Klaus had quickly understood it would not be enough to cope with the heavy rainfall he had come to observe rather frequently. Therefore, a system consisting of canals that drained into three larger outfall canals running from South to North into the Lake would need to be built – he had already designed it. _

_He had chosen this wild, uncivilized region for what it represented. Darkness, malice and mystery. It was _him_. Furthermore, they had continuously been on the move over the centuries, but they had always chosen established towns and settlements. This time, Klaus wanted to create something of his own. He wanted to build, to shape, to form. And to leave his mark. It was a notion he knew Elijah could not quite comprehend. His brother's ambitions were more mundane, centering on everything financial and political. It had made them rich beyond anyone's wildest imagination, but it could not quell Klaus' desire to create. In a few centuries' time, he wanted to look at a thriving, prosperous, _dark_ city and know that he had been the one to bring it to life. He had seen much lesser men succeed, so why wouldn't he?_

_"I have thought of everything. This area is on elevated grounds, so the required dry-pumping will be reduced to a minimum. A canal system will be necessary which you will be delighted to hear I have entirely planned out already. The settlement will be built in a crescent following the border of the lake." Klaus motioned towards the shoreline to illustrate his idea. "This is my vision, Elijah, and I am absolutely certain it will be a great success."_

_The older Original pinched the bridge of his nose. "Niklaus, I am well aware of how much you admire what Czar Peter is achieving with Saint Petersburg over in Russia, and it is a great feat, I will have to admit that. But may I ask what brought this up? Is it a sudden desire to see your name in a history book someday?"_

_Klaus shook his head. "No, it is not that. Had that been my wish, I could have achieved it centuries ago. But one day, I want to stand in this very spot, look around and see how I turned an insignificant little stretch of swamp into one of the most fascinating towns the world has ever beheld. I will walk the streets and know that this is my creation."_

_It was hard to imagine that this could ever be anything other than a serpent-infested piece of wilderness. Klaus granted his brother that much. But Elijah did not see what he saw. His artist's soul had already painted the pictures in his head and he could not get rid of the visions. Nothing would keep him from making his dream come true. He had nothing else, and he needed to keep his mind occupied. They had successfully evaded their father for the last three hundred years, ever since… Well, he had become so skilled in predicting Mikael's moves and in planning their route forward that this part of their lives was no longer sufficient to engage his mind to an extent large enough that it would suppress his loneliness. He needed a goal._

_Elijah was scrutinizing their surroundings again, and Klaus had the distinct feeling his brother was contemplating things from a slightly different perspective now. He knew Elijah was continuously worried about him and his actions, which unnerved him considerably. But it was what he had counted on to gain his brother's support – his older sibling would be more than delighted to see Klaus engage in something other than carnage, erotic escapades or the hunt for Katerina Petrova. _

_"You are of course aware of the fact that this is going to draw much attention to you and might even enable Mikael to recover our tracks. Do you seriously believe this to be a wise idea?" Elijah inquired with a light frown._

_Klaus gave a rather malicious sneer. "Thank you for your overwhelming confidence in my intelligence. As if I have never worked with a figurehead before!"_

_"My apologies, oh mighty genius," Elijah replied in a rare display of sarcasm. "Who did you have in mind, then?"_

_"The Governour, of course," Klaus grinned. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, was in his late thirties, had recently been appointed Governour of Louisiana for the third time and was widely reputed for having founded the town of Mobile. As an additional advantage, he was an experienced colonizer and might even be good for some piece of advice every now and then. Not that Klaus would actually require any._

_Elijah gazed at his brother thoughtfully. "You have already compelled him accordingly, I presume?"_

_"So I have. He will do whatever I suggest. Once the feat is accomplished, he will no longer remember my existence at all and will therefore appear in every history book as the founding father of my new town."_

_With a sigh, Elijah took another look around. He could really not imagine anything to come from this adventurous endeavour, but if it kept his younger brother occupied, he would most definitely support the idea. His worry over Klaus had increased as of late. His sibling was finding more and more excuses to shed blood indiscriminately, and the staggering number of women who paraded in and out of his bedroom was even putting Kol to shame. Every few decades, Klaus went through a phase like this. Elijah suspected that those were the times his younger brother perceived his loneliness as particularly unbearable and if this new project kept him from doing anything stupid, fine. A wicked smile began to grace his features as a thought crossed his mind. He would indeed keep his troubled sibling focused on this task._

_"Very well," he said firmly, "I am not quite convinced, but I shall be looking forward to be proven wrong. In fact, I shall make you a wager, Niklaus. Should you succeed, I will personally steal 'Eve, the Serpent and Death' for you."_

_Klaus' eyes widened and he gave an incredulous laugh. "Excuse me, were you not the one trying to snap my neck when I even mentioned I wanted this painting and the owner would not sell? Do you not keep lecturing all of us that stealing is beneath us?"_

_"And I will continue to do so. I will not pretend that my stealing this painting is any better than common thievery. But this artwork is something you want very desperately, and I am curious to behold the efforts you will put into making your vision come true with this additional incentive. I am prepared to pay the price should you indeed make something out of this… wasteland."_

_With a wide grin, Klaus nodded. Elijah knew his brother had always liked to witness others compromise their ideals and principles, and it was not often he had seen Elijah himself betray his steadfast convictions. "In the extremely unlikely event of my failure to achieve my goal, what will be my stake?" Klaus asked curiously. His older brother gave him a thoughtful look for a moment before he answered._

_"You will refrain from continuing to search for Katerina."_

_ Klaus' expression hardened. "Your attraction towards Katerina Petrova is one of many mysteries I have never been able to grasp. I sincerely hope that one day, you will cross the path of a woman actually worthy of your affections. Be that as it may, you are aware that I require the doppelganger to break the curse, are you not? And you are aware that I have been attempting to do just that ever since our beloved mother put my werewolf side to rest?" He glared at Elijah, his shoulders tense, his stance no longer relaxed._

_"Of course I am. But if I am to act against my profoundest beliefs should you win, the stakes have to be equally high for you, brother."_

_After a while, Klaus' rigid posture relaxed and his face split into another broad grin. "I believe we have a wager, Elijah, and I will not fail. This will be a prospering town in the not too distant future. And I shall be enjoying your act of thievery almost as much as the painting itself." He held out a hand, and Elijah shook it with a genuine smile. His brother would be very busy indeed._

* * *

_A few months later, Klaus stood at the very same spot where his conversation with Elijah had taken place, and he had to admit that even he himself was astonished at how different the place already looked. He would probably not even have had to compel the Governour, as the man had been beyond enthusiastic at Klaus' idea. With the support of the Government and an amazing financial background, things began to take shape very quickly. He made a conscious effort to avoid any compulsion, for he wanted to look back someday and remember how it had been nothing but his vision and his intellect that had brought him success. For now, the new settlement consisted of nothing but a great number of huts and hovels, but Klaus was absolutely certain that this would soon change. He could all but see how the town would look a few years from now._

_As he stood lost in his musings, he felt someone approach him and turned around to come face to face with a haggard, wretched-looking man who was dressed in rags and tatters and gave the impression that he was about to perish from consumption. Klaus wrinkled his nose and raised an eyebrow when the man began to speak in a rasp._

_"Mr. Mikaelson?"_

_"And who wants to know that?" Klaus replied haughtily. He hated being spoken to by this kind of scum._

_"My name is Thomas Dyer. There is someone who wants to speak with you, Mr. Mikaelson, and I am to bring you to him."_

_With a small, mirthless laugh, Klaus replied, "Well, Mr. Dyer, I do hope you have not come too long a way, for you came in vain. I have no intention of following you anywhere, and whoever wants to speak with me will not have me summoned. He will come to me. Good day."_

_The man cleared his throat and murmured, "He predicted you would say that. Thus, I am to show you a gesture of goodwill from his side." The man paused, and Klaus found himself a little intrigued at the audacity of whoever had sent Dyer to him. "I am to tell you that Mikael is currently under a desiccation spell and will be immobilized for a period of between one and two years."_

_Klaus could not help his jaw dropping. "How…?"_

_"I am just the messenger. I know nothing other than what I was told to convey to you."_

_Immediately recovering from his surprise, Klaus shook his head. It could be a new ruse Mikael had thought up to get his hands on him and his siblings. "Convey, then. Convey to whoever sent you that if he has any business to discuss, he is to find me. I am not being received in audience like a petitioner."_

_Dyer looked at him for a moment before he nodded. "I will tell him so." Without another word, he walked off, leaving Klaus to stare after him thoughtfully. Mikael. He had avoided him successfully for so many centuries – the one exception was carefully locked away in the deepest dungeon inside his mind – and he knew Mikael had not come close to finding any of them for a few decades now. The mention of his stepfather had caught him completely unprepared for that reason, and he reprimanded himself for having let his guard down a little as a consequence of the relatively unthreatened period they had recently experienced. He had left Elijah behind to watch over Rebekah and Kol, and the three of them were staying in Charles Towne – what was to become Charleston in later years – as there was no acceptable settlement in the area of the new town and Klaus did not want any distractions like Rebekah's constant whining about how she missed Europe and Kol's nightly prowls that needed to be covered up afterwards._

_Klaus ignored the sharp pang that went through him at the thought of his stepfather and flashed off in the direction of the small native village on the fringe of the swamp. The hunt would distract him nicely, although he would probably have to find another of these villages soon. He had already diminished the population of this one a little too ostensibly._

* * *

_The next day, Klaus was just in the midst of giving some instructions to the foreman who was leading the construction of the canals when a quiet voice sounded behind him._

_"Mr. Mikaelson."_

_Upset at not having noticed that someone had approached him, he finished his conversation with the foreman before sending him away and turning around. A very old man was propped on a crutch, looking at Klaus intently. Although his body seemed rickety, there was nothing frail about him. The Original sensed that in his youth, this had been a very powerful, charismatic man. And there was something else… something he could not quite put his finger on._

_"Yes," he said curtly. _

_"As you would not follow my invitation, I have decided to undertake the strenuous journey to come to you." He looked around, nodding at the construction site. "Quite an enterprise you have initiated here."_

_"The Governour's honour, not mine. I am merely overseeing some details," Klaus replied automatically, making the old man chuckle._

_"I may be very advanced in age, but my mind has not started failing me yet, Mr. Mikaelson."_

_There was something Klaus liked about this man. He showed absolutely no sign of fear or wariness, and he had a formidable air about him. Cocking his head, he folded his arms over his chest and gazed down at him._

_"May I ask who you are, and how you know my name?"_

_"My apologies for not introducing myself properly. My name is Vicq Samedi. And as for your second question – is there anyone in the world of the supernatural who has not heard your name?"_

_Klaus gave him a quizzical look. "You are very obviously human. So how would you know?"_

_"I am human _now,_" he simply replied with a smile._

_The Original's eyes widened. What was the old man referring to? In his seven hundred years, Klaus had never encountered a case of a supernatural being who had gone back to being a human. It was not possible. Still, there was something _different_ about this man. Could he be telling the truth?_

_"What exactly are you talking about?" he asked cautiously._

_Samedi smiled. "Is there a more appropriate venue we could take this conversation to? I will need to sit down."_

_Klaus gestured towards a large group of rocks on a small hill in the distance. "Will you manage?" _

_"Yes, I will," the old man replied, and they began to slowly wander towards the elevation. Klaus reined in his impatience at the pace. His curiosity was piqued, and he wanted to find out what this was about. During their silent walk, he began to rack his brains over where he had heard the name of Samedi before. He had encountered so many people and come across so many names that it took him a while to make the connection. They had almost reached the rocks when the bell finally rang. And it did so loudly and clearly. Baron Samedi. A spirit worshipped by the people who believed in Voodoo, a sub-religion originated in Western Africa, imported mainly to Sainte Domingue in the Caribbean. To Klaus, all kinds of religion had always been utterly nonsensical, but he found some of them amusing. He was puzzled now and looked forward to finding out why on Earth someone would give themselves the name of what was considered the Master of the Dead of some dubious faith._

_"Well then," he said when they were seated on a large rock overlooking the lake, "Baron Samedi, you have me all intrigued."_

_The old man grinned widely, and for the first time, Klaus saw some real power in his face. This was what he must have looked like in his youth, he thought. "You are a fast thinker indeed, Mr. Mikaelson. Not very many would have associated me with that name," Samedi replied appreciatively._

_"So why would you call yourself that?"_

_"Because it is who I am. Or was, I should probably add."_

_Klaus shook his head determinedly. "I do not believe in any sort of religion, nor do I believe in ghosts, spirits and any deities. Invent a better tale, Monsieur."_

_"Who said anything about deities? I was nothing of the sort. I was a very powerful warlock, perhaps even the single most powerful ever in existence, and you know about the peasantry. What they cannot explain must be of divine provenance. So I was made a spirit, a God, a demon. I have lived for a very long time, Mr. Mikaelson, as you have, but I have finally tired of this world."_

_Running his hand through his hair, Klaus watched Samedi thoughtfully. "If I may make an educated guess, you want to die, but being a warlock, and a Black one at that, you would forever remain on the Other Side with no possibility to move on. You wish to avoid that by dying a human."_

_Samedi smiled and inclined his head. "As I said, you are a fast thinker. I heard many things about you, most of them rather unsavoury, but your intellect is actually what is most dangerous about you, is it not?"_

_"I would hope not," Klaus replied with the hint of a smile. "I have never heard of any supernatural being becoming human, no witch or warlock, no werewolf, no vampire. How is that even possible?"_

_"It has taken a very intricate piece of witchcraft, and it is also not a permanent state. But this is not what I came to speak to you about today. I would like to strike a bargain with you, Mr. Mikaelson."_

_Klaus sat back and gazed at Samedi. He was genuinely intrigued by now but also very wary. He had been offered all sorts of bargains during his very long life, and his experience had taught him to be very careful of anyone who approached him with business offers without having been invited to. _

_"And what makes you think I am interested in what you have to propose?" he asked nonchalantly. _

_"The fact that I am offering two things of great value to you in return for something very simple. Something you have done a thousand times over and that will not cost you anything. You could say I will give you the two items for free."_

_The Original chuckled. "If there is one thing I have learned during my very many years on this Earth, it is that nothing ever comes without a price. Timeo danaos et dona ferentes."_

_"I agree that it is always wise to fear those who come bearing gifts, but this is no Trojan Horse. You will understand it once I have explained it to you. Will you want to listen to my proposal?"_

_Klaus thought about it for a minute until his curiosity got the better of him. And something told him that there was more to this than met the eye. "I will hear you out."_

_"Good," Samedi said, and Klaus detected a hint of relief in his voice. It seemed to be of great importance to him. "First, I am offering you one or two years of peace. Your father has been hunting you for a very long time, if I am correctly informed, and you will be able to respire for a brief while."_

_Desperately fighting not to show his emotions, Klaus said sharply, "How do you plan on doing that? Your messenger said Mikael was immobilized, but you are no longer a warlock. And how would I know you are telling the truth? What proof would I have?"_

_Samedi nodded. "You will compel me. I immobilized Mikael before I turned human. The spell will remain solid for one to two years. You know witchcraft is not an accurate science, so I cannot tell you exactly how long the spell will last. And before you argue that all spells lose their power once the witch or warlock in question dies – I have prevented that from happening."_

_In a blur, Klaus snatched the old man's wrist and sunk his fangs into it. Samedi was too astonished to even blink when Klaus spoke again. "You are not on vervain. Good. And I can taste something different about your blood. You are human, but your blood is stronger than usual. I therefore assume you are indeed telling the truth. So how will you prevent the spell from lifting if you die?"_

_"_When_ I die. I cast a double spell, together with another warlock. I die, he lives on. The spell will hold up."_

_Klaus nodded. "So what is the second item you are negotiating?"_

_Samedi looked across the lake, a pensive expression on his face, absently rubbing the bloodstains on his wrist. He seemed reluctant to continue, and Klaus wondered what it could be. The old man apparently knew how Klaus felt about his stepfather, so he was surprised that a year-long break from running was actually the first thing Samedi had offered. Why hadn't he kept it for last, as was usually done with the most valuable piece of any bargain?_

_When Samedi spoke again, there was trepidation in his voice. "I am taking a very great risk in telling you what I am to divulge to you now, but it is not like I have much to lose." He cleared his throat and continued. "There is a document in existence called 'The Original Grimoire'. It has been written a very, very long time ago, and its origins have been lost in the fogs of time. This document contains every single piece of knowledge about the creation of the world of the supernatural. How to engender vampires…"_

_"That is hardly of interest," Klaus interrupted impatiently, "as everyone knows how to create vampires."_

_"Do let me finish, Mr. Mikaelson. I was not speaking of turning humans into vampires. I was talking about the _creation_ of vampires, the way your mother created you. The creation of Originals, if you will. But that is not all. This book contains _everything_. It tells you how to create witches, warlocks, werewolves and some other creatures. But it also describes every known and unknown method to kill supernatural beings, including Original vampires. And believe me, there is more than White Oak out there. Whoever holds it in his hands is the master of life and death, Mr. Mikaelson."_

_Klaus was stunned into utter silence, staring at the old man wide-eyed, simply unable to hide his astonishment. If this was true… he would not even want to imagine the consequences. Others would be able to create vampires with the abilities that were exclusive to him and his family. They could be killed. And heaven only knew what else was in this book. _

_"Who owns this book now?" he whispered, not quite trusting his voice._

_"I do," Samedi replied calmly. "So will you accept my offer?"_

_ "Why would you give this book to _me_ of all people? Warlocks and vampires are natural enemies, and I am undoubtedly the most powerful creature walking this Earth, which should make me even more of an adversary to be extinguished. I am genuinely intrigued as to why you would even think about putting this document into my hands."_

_"That is a very good question. I do not believe in what the Old Witches on the Other Side call 'the balance'. It is just a lot of rubbish used to intimidate other witches and warlocks into perpetuating the feud with the vampire population and attempt to have them obey their nonsensical rules. Apart from the fact that there is not much else to do on the Other Side. Time passes very slowly when one is trapped without the possibility to move on. However, having been a warlock, I do have an interest in not seeing legions of super-powered Original vampires roam the world and extinguish my kind, or hordes of Original witches and warlocks subjugating others. And you, Mr. Mikaelson, can have even less of a desire to witness the creation of vampires equipped with your family's unique strength and abilities. As you correctly pointed out, you are the most powerful being on Earth, and I am certain you have no desire to renounce that status. Therefore, there is no safer place for this book than with you. Furthermore, a great part of the knowledge the Original Grimoire contains is written in riddles, and not even I have been able to decipher them all. I will give you no hints and no explanations. You will have to solve the riddles on your own, and it will take you decades, if not centuries."_

_"Why not just destroy it? And why trust me not to destroy it?"_

_Samedi gave him a very wide smile. "You would not. Not ever. It will make you even more powerful than you are now, although I doubt you would need to use the book at any point. But the simple knowledge that it exists, that you have access to it and that it gives you power over the creation of supernatural life – to some extent – will never let you destroy it. I am predicting you will hide this document somewhere so abstruse no one would ever even think of searching for it there. Well, apart from the fact that you and I are the only living beings knowing about it in the first place." He paused. "The Original Grimoire is the most dangerous document in existence. Yet it is the root, the foundation of the entire supernatural world. And it contains knowledge you have never dreamed of. Destroy it if you will, Mr. Mikaelson. But once you hold it in your hands, once you know you are the true keeper of life and death, it will never let you go."_

_Klaus frowned. "If no one but you and me knows of its existence, then there is no danger for me and my family, is there?"_

_"I said we were the only _living_ beings."_

_Looking into the distance and trying to digest what he had just learned, Klaus ran another hand through his hair. How had he never heard of this book? Well, the secret had apparently been closely kept throughout history for very obvious reasons, but still… there had never been so much as a rumour about it. He closed his eyes for an instant and turned to the old man who was watching him patiently._

_"What do you demand in return?"_

_Samedi kept his eyes on Klaus. "First, I want you and your family to never harm any witch or warlock pertaining to my line. Right before I lost my magic, I have seen something. A sign that there will be a moment in the very distant future when our families' fates will be joined, which was not the least of reasons why I came to you."_

_"Accepted, under one condition. If any descendant of yours puts my family in mortal danger, I will be allowed to defend them. Not that I can think of any way this could ever happen, but let us be thorough. Can you accept that?"_

_The old man nodded. "Yes."_

_Klaus extended his hand, and Samedi shook it. His handshake was surprisingly strong. "How do you know I will not just break my word once you are dead?"_

_With a smile, the former warlock replied, "Not unlike you, I have met very many people over the years, and not unlike you, I have developed a very keen instinct for human nature. There is some leftover honour in you, Mr. Mikaelson. Many centuries ago, you were a very trustworthy man, before circumstances made you lose most of that admirable trait. But not all of it. You honour your treaties with those you deem worthy."_

_Swallowing, Klaus asked, "So what is your second demand?"_

_"You will kill me."_

_The Original raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Why would I do that?"_

_"Your killing me will guarantee my seamless transition beyond the Other Side. Humans with a record of murder and other crimes have been known to get stuck on the Other Side every now and then, and I have no interest whatsoever in that. If I am being murdered by a supernatural being, however, I will move across to the Eternal Realm of the Dead with no hindrances. And it will be fast and painless. That is my price."_

_Looking at Samedi thoughtfully, Klaus asked, "You are aware that asking someone to murder you is not the same as actually _being_ murdered?"_

_"It is still murder. You are not defending yourself, you are not executing an act of mercy. A hired marksman, if you will. So, are we in agreement?"_

_Klaus' pupils dilated as he stared into Samedi's eyes._

_"Has Mikael been immobilized?"_

_"Yes, he has."_

_"How long will the spell last?"_

_"A rough estimate would say, between one and two years."_

_"Where is he?"_

_"I do not know. He was hidden at an unknown location and is kept in seclusion. The one who brought him there is dead. No one knows where he is."_

_"Who spelled him?"_

_"I did, together with a Bennett warlock. Mikael was attempting to find traces of you, and neither the Bennett warlock nor I did take kindly to being threatened into collaboration."_

_Klaus cursed for a second, then he collected himself. "Is everything you told me about the document the truth?"_

_"Yes."_

_"You will hand it over to me in its entirety prior to my killing you?"_

_"Yes."_

_"No living creature knows about this document?"_

_"No one but you and me."_

_"Are there any copies in existence?"_

_"I am rather certain that the document in my possession is a copy, and I cannot say whether it is a complete transcript of the primordial writings. What I own is certainly old, but not old enough to be the original manuscript. I have never heard any whispers about the book anywhere, which tells me that if there are more copies, they are not in circulation. My apologies, but I cannot answer this question with ultimate certainty."_

_Klaus frowned but let his pupils recede. Samedi shook his head for an instant, then he gazed at him evenly. The Original looked back at the old man and gave a quick nod, holding out his hand again._

_"We have an agreement."_


	2. Encounters

**Hello dearies,**

**you are sweeping me off my feet! So many reviews in just one day - I'm completely amazed at the overwhelming response! Thanks for the guest comments, and a big hug to guest Justine who never fails to review! :)  
**

**I think I'll keep up the Dungeons tradition of saying thanks in a different language every time. So thank you U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand! :)  
**

**Please enjoy the new chapter, and happy Sunday everyone!**

**XX**

**P.S.: Just a quick comment to the latest guest review: Yes, this is the sequel to Dungeons and there will be a lot of Caroline in this chapter - and in most of them. She wasn't mentioned in the prologue to Dungeons either, so no worries! :)**

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CHAPTER ONE

ENCOUNTERS

_Madame La Reine._ Caroline shook her head in amusement. _The Queen. _Well, if she was to be honest with herself, she felt only the teensiest bit flattered at the way Remy jokingly greeted her every time she set foot in his shady joint of a bar, which she had to admit happened rather often. She liked it here. 'La Croisée', or simply 'Remy's', as it was known to the regulars, was not your usual kind of bar. It could only ever be found by those who actually knew where to look for it – the inconspicuous, rusty metal door was hidden in the shadows of a dirty mural in a side alley off Bourbon Street, and no sign pointed to it. The patrons were invariably related to the world of the supernatural, making it a fascinating place to have a drink and watch.

Remy de Camondo was a vampire who had actually been turned by Klaus himself. He was roughly four hundred years old, originally from Spain and had met Klaus and his family during their time in said country. A typical member of seventeenth century Spanish aristocracy, he had been bored and utterly restrained by the rigid protocol at court and the suffocating conventions within his peer circles, which had led him to seek the company of the intriguing Mikaelson clan more and more often after having been introduced to Klaus during a society gathering in Madrid. The more he had tasted of the siblings' independent, devil-may-care lifestyle, the more he had come to loathe his own colourless existence. Then one day, he had unintentionally witnessed one of Kol's rampages in a peasant village he had visited together with the brothers. Klaus' initial intention had been to simply kill Remy, but he had grown to remotely tolerate the Spaniard and therefore offered him the choice between death and immortality. Remy had not hesitated for a single moment and, as he had told Caroline on more than one occasion, he had never once regretted his decision.

However far back his connection with the Originals reached, Remy had always strived to remain carefully neutral whenever any conflicts arose. He insisted that his bar be considered no man's land, open to all supernatural creatures, and anyone who was not willing or able to comply would find the door permanently closed. A long time ago, Remy had had the place spelled – once he banned someone from it, the person in question would be unable to find the entrance to the establishment ever again. It was fascinating how every supernatural being respected the rules of the house. They all liked Remy's for being a place where no one had to hide their nature, and only very few ever risked a permanent ban from the bar. Caroline remembered the first time Klaus had brought her here. It had been the day after their move to New Orleans, and both he and Elijah had agreed that it would be a wise maneuver to make their return public knowledge as quickly as possible in order to start decimating Marcel's ranks and attract as many defectors as possible. According to a reliable source, Klaus' former protégé was planning on making a move against the Mikaelson family, and while it was still unclear what form this attack would take, it was why they had all come to New Orleans in the first place. Caroline had briefly wondered why Klaus didn't just go ahead and kill Marcel, but she had learned by now that this was not her husband's style. He liked to play games, and as he once put it, when pulling up weeds, one always had to make sure to capture the roots.

Remy's was the perfect spot for a big entrance, and as soon as Klaus had entered the bar, his hand possessively on the small of Caroline's back, all heads had turned and the place had fallen completely silent. Caroline had inwardly rolled her eyes at the arrogant grin and haughty expression on Klaus' face but she had kept quiet and tried not to be too intimidated by the dozens of pairs of staring eyes. Remy had emerged from behind the bar, hand outstretched, a genuine smile on his face. She remembered how Klaus had even seemed somewhat pleased to see his old acquaintance.

_"Klaus. It has been long."_

_"Too long indeed, my friend. I have been looking forward to the world's best Sazerac for a while now."_

_Remy smiled again, motioning towards the bar. "It shall be my pleasure. On the house, of course." He turned towards Caroline and gave a small bow. "May I prepare a Sazerac for you, too, Miss…?"_

_Klaus inclined his head and looked down at her, his eyes shining. "Caroline, this is Remy de Camondo. He is an old friend and owner of this bar. If you want to really upset him, call him Remigio." The Spaniard huffed in annoyance, making Klaus smirk. "Remy, this is Caroline Mikaelson. My wife."_

_Had the place been silent before, it went into complete paralysis now. Literally everyone was staring at her. If not for Klaus' reassuring hand on her back, she would probably have turned on her heel and raced out of the bar as fast as her feet would carry her. But as always, his touch was all it took to give her courage. She smiled at Remy and held out her hand._

_"It is nice to meet you, Remy. Klaus has told me a lot about this place and I was really looking forward to finally seeing it."_

_Remy recovered from his obvious stupefaction and took her hand, bowing over it. Caroline smiled to herself. If there was one thing she really liked about all these age-old vampires, it was their chivalry. One could really tell they had been raised in a different era, no matter how many centuries ago that had been. _

_"Mrs. Mikaelson, it is an honour to make your acquaintance. Do forgive my impoliteness, but this is… surprising news indeed. I might need a few minutes to familiarize myself with the thought that this old man here," he smirked at Klaus who raised an eyebrow and grinned, "has finally settled down. My congratulations to you both. Good Lord, I need a drink! Sazerac, then?" he asked, and Caroline looked at him quizzically. He smiled and gestured towards the bar._

_"Do sit down. The Sazerac, Mrs. Mikaelson, has been invented in New Orleans in the late eighteen hundreds. It was originally based on cognac but is nowadays made with rye whiskey and some other ingredients, one of them being Absinthe. You could probably say the Sazerac is something like the signature cocktail of this town."_

_Caroline sat down at the bar next to Klaus, marveling for a moment at how wonderfully warm his hand felt on hers, and gave Remy a smile. "Now you made me curious. And it's Caroline, please."_

_The subdued conversations around the room resumed as they sat but Caroline could tell that all eyes were still on them and everyone was straining their ears. While Remy was busying himself preparing the drinks, she saw Klaus scanning the bar. He wasn't the least bit inconspicuous about it and it was plain that he made everyone squirm under his piercing gaze. Two shabby-looking men were just leaving, casting a last quick glance at both him and Caroline. Klaus raised a brow but then turned back to Remy._

_"So how is business these days? The place looks unchanged, and I take it you are still successfully playing Switzerland?"_

_Remy gave Klaus a fleeting glance while cutting some lemon twists. "I do hope you are not here to challenge that status."_

_"Why would you think that? Do I have reason to?"_

_Caroline couldn't help but notice the slight hardening of Klaus' voice and she was certain Remy had heard it, too._

_"Reason to doubt my neutrality? None whatsoever." He hesitated for a moment, then he went on. "You are aware that a couple of things have indeed changed around here since you last visited." It was not a question, and Klaus just gave a quick nod. Remy sighed. "Does he know you're here, Klaus?"_

_The Original squeezed Caroline's hand and she could tell he wanted to reassure her again, even though there was no need. She feared no enemy as long as he was by her side._

_"I am certain he does now, what with those two drifters leaving a moment ago. I am surprised you managed to uphold your impartiality. He can be very… persistent when he wants something."_

_Remy rolled his eyes. "I do wonder who he learned that from. But I admit it has been challenging as of late, therefore I am not quite certain how happy I am to see you here. Although I am indeed glad to hear you're married, and to such a lovely young lady at that." He winked at Caroline and put the drinks in front of them. His hand lingered on the small napkin under Klaus' glass for an instant while he looked at the Original intently. Klaus showed no reaction and raised his glass to Caroline, giving her the deep, longing look that always made her want to jump into his arms and kiss him until all time ended. She took a sip of the Sazerac and gave Remy an appreciative smile._

_"This is amazing. Somewhere between bitter and sweet… although more the former than the latter. And it even tastes a little spicy." She grinned at Klaus. "Please don't let me get used to this."_

_He snickered and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "And have you spend more time than absolutely necessary with this ragged bartender? Over my already dead body."_

_Caroline giggled and Remy scoffed. "As if anyone in their right mind would ever so much as look in the direction of the woman _you_ married."_

_"He's got a point, you know?" Caroline whined, frowning at Klaus. "No one is ever going to look at me again! How will I live through eternity with that knowledge?" Gah, why did she always have to chuckle when she wanted to tease him?_

_Klaus put his glass down and leaned towards her, his lips softly brushing her earlobe, making her close her eyes, rest her cheek against his and listen to his almost inaudible whisper. "You will live through eternity because you know that no other man could ever look at you like I do. No other man could ever want you like I do. And no other man," he gently kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, "could ever _love_ you the way I do."_

_Caroline shivered. How did he still manage to make the butterflies whirl around like dancing dervishes after the innumerable times he had told her he loved her? Whenever he did, it felt like the very first time, and she wondered if that was actually normal. They had been inseparable for months, they were married, they were bearing each other's Signum, the eternal mark that showed one vampire's claim over another. But he still made her feel like it had all just started yesterday. She inconspicuously put her hand over his heart for a fleeting instant, knowing he loved it when she did that, and decided to give him some butterflies of his own. Her lips touched his temple, and she leaned in even closer._

_"Niklaus," she breathed. _

_His eyes closed for an instant before he returned to the present. Their tender moment hadn't lasted longer than a few seconds, but it hadn't gone unnoticed. Caroline asked herself if it was wise for Klaus to show everyone just how much in love they were, but she supposed he knew what he was doing. As for her, she was so consumed by her feelings for her man, she wouldn't have minded having someone walk the streets of New Orleans with a megaphone, announcing her love for Klaus to each and every inhabitant of the city. Plus tourists._

_Remy looked at them thoughtfully. He didn't seem to know what to make of this new development, and Caroline could tell he had never seen Klaus like this. When the Original lifted his glass, his eyes lingered on the napkin for a second, and she couldn't help but let her gaze wander to the little piece of fabric as well. _

**_He plans on taking you down at some point. Don't know how, but he seems very confident about it. He has powerful allies, and he's on vervain. Watch out._**

_Klaus showed no reaction to Remy's written message but simply brought his glass to his lips and took a sip of his drink. "You are right, Remy. Whoever even considers looking in Caroline's direction must have a death wish indeed," he commented, knowing every single person in the room would hear the menace in his voice. Remy nodded and gave Caroline a mischievous grin._

_"I do hope the fact that no one on the face of the Earth will ever be brave enough to talk to you again is not going to keep you from visiting my bar more often in the future, Caroline?"_

_She giggled. "Only if you tell me you do have some hidden supplies of Krug somewhere in your cellars!"_

_The broad grin on Klaus' face made Remy groan in exasperation. "Please tell me he hasn't infected you with his Krug obsession." With a chuckle, he nodded. "I still have some bottles in stock. No one but Klaus ever orders it, anyway. But I have a nagging feeling I will have to bulk-buy that stuff from now on. And keep an open tab." He looked at Klaus and turned serious. "Will you be in town for a while, then?"_

_"Yes."_

That had been little over two months ago. Klaus' return to New Orleans had caused quite the stir among the supernatural community which was especially large in the city. The news that both he and Elijah were now married and actually showing a united front with their younger brother Kol had spread like a wildfire. The siblings didn't even have to make that much of an effort to break away followers from Marcel – they came in droves, pledging their allegiance to the Originals and swearing they had never been loyal to Marcel in the first place. Both Klaus and Elijah were relatively indifferent to the vows of fidelity. The ones who defected at the very first sight of danger were not the ones they targeted to follow them, and many of them were still seen in Marcel's spheres on a regular basis. It would seem that Klaus' former protégé was spreading the rumours that the powers of the Original Family were waning, and that they would not be the leaders of the supernatural world for very much longer. The brothers had decided not to openly wage any wars until they had the complete picture of what was going on behind the scenes.

They had moved into Klaus' magnificent mansion in the heart of the Vieux Carré. It was a breathtaking house with an incredibly beautiful interior patio and courtyard, fireplaces in every room and a lovely, old-fashioned kitchen. The place wasn't nearly as big as the estate in Mystic Falls but Caroline immediately fell in love with the charming building. It was cozy and homely, exuding warmth and elegance. The sounds of the French Quarter swirled into the house as soon as the windows were open, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of their home. On their first night in New Orleans, they had been sitting in a big armchair next to the open window, with Caroline on Klaus' lap, their fingers entwined, taking in the sights and sounds. Klaus had wanted to take her out to dinner but she had refused. The only thing she had wanted was to absorb the new city's air, securely wrapped in her husband's arms, and Klaus had happily obliged. If he had his way, Caroline thought, she would probably not be leaving his arms for more than five minutes at a time, and he seemed to always be grateful for each and every second they spent alone and together.

On the third day after their arrival, she had first met the famous Marcel. The minute she had laid eyes on him, she knew she didn't like Klaus' former protégé. After about ten minutes, her spontaneous dislike had turned into serious aversion.

_Caroline and Silv were seated in the kitchen, having a glass of wine, discussing Caroline's impending enrollment at Tulane. After much deliberation, she had chosen to major in Art History. She had become more and more absorbed in Klaus' extensive art collection and the fascinating stories behind the works – but the deciding factor had been the night Klaus had told her about how he had recreated Canaletto's 'London' painting in his mind while being tortured by Mikael and his lackey Prelati not so long ago. He had pretended to be immobilized while being subjected to the cruelest of medieval torture methods, and one night he had explained to Caroline how he had managed to completely focus on the painting and block out most of the pain. She had been intrigued by how a work of art could actually be so spellbinding, and shortly after that, her decision had been made. Klaus had been overjoyed when she had told him. He had tried not to push her in any direction but she could tell he was beyond pleased with her choice. Caroline, too, was looking forward to discussing her studies with him – he was so knowledgeable, especially when it came to art, and even if they didn't always share each other's views, they always enjoyed discussing their perspectives and just talking for hours._

_Silv was pouring their second round when the doorbell rang. Elijah and Klaus had gone out earlier to meet with an old acquaintance of Elijah's, intent on finding out more on who Marcel's new allies were, so Caroline and Silv had decided to stay behind and have some quiet time. Life with an Original was exhausting in more than one way after all._

_Caroline cast a quizzical glance at Silv and went to answer the door. When she opened the heavy wooden portal, she looked straight into the piercing eyes of a tall, handsome black man. He was expensively dressed and exuded an aggressive kind of authority, mirrored in the wide grin he was giving her now. Caroline's eyes narrowed. Something told her she wasn't going to like this man. At all. _

_"Mrs. Mikaelson, I presume?" he asked in a dark, velvety voice that somehow set her teeth on edge. She had no idea at all why this guy repelled her so much._

_"There is more than one Mrs. Mikaelson," she replied crisply, "and yes, I am one of them. May I ask who you are?"_

_"Apologies. My name is Marcel. I am an old friend of Klaus. Is he available?"_

_So this was him. This was the man who had his mind set on challenging her husband. Her chin rose and her voice became even cooler. "No, he is not in. Would you like to leave a message?" _

_Marcel chuckled. "I was rather hoping you might invite me in for a drink and allow me to wait for him. Am I correct in assuming that I am indeed talking to Klaus' lovely new wife?"_

_"You are," Caroline replied. As if he didn't know that already. They scrutinized each other for some time, both assessing who it was they were facing. She looked at Marcel very closely before she shrugged. There was only so much damage he could do, and something told her he represented no danger. Not tonight. Furthermore, she was not sure whether Klaus would really want her to slam the door in Marcel's face before had found out what his former protégé's intentions were, even though she certainly felt like it. Reluctantly, she held out her hand to him. "I'm Caroline Mikaelson. Why don't you come in."_

_He shook her hand and gave a small nod. "Thank you."_

_Stepping inside, he scanned the interior of the house appreciatively while they walked towards the kitchen. Caroline had no intention of being any more hospitable than absolutely necessary, therefore the kitchen would have to do. _

_"It's been a while since I last set foot in this house," Marcel remarked with a light smile. "Klaus has been absent for quite some time and I am surprised to find the house in such a superb condition. Then again, he has always looked after what is his, hasn't he?" When Caroline didn't answer, he went on. "And now he has returned, presenting the community with the one piece of news no one would ever have expected from the Original Vampire of all people. Married." He tsked. "I thought there was nothing under the sun that could still surprise me, but this does indeed. No offense."_

_"None taken." For a reason that truly escaped her, Caroline disliked the man more with each passing minute and was glad when they reached the kitchen. Silv looked up with wary eyes when they entered, her gaze as suspicious as Caroline's. She took another sip of her wine while scrutinizing Marcel's appearance. Caroline gestured towards the new arrival._

_"Silv, this is Marcel. He will be waiting here for Klaus to return. Marcel, this is Silv Mikaelson, Elijah's wife."_

_Marcel approached the brunette, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her fingers. His eyes were glued to her face when his velvety voice murmured, "I am thrilled to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Mikaelson."_

_Silv's eyes narrowed, but she inclined her head and said, "Nice to meet you. May I offer you a glass of Bordeaux Blanc while you wait?" Caroline noticed she had not asked him to call her Silv. Apparently, her sister-in-law was no more impressed with Marcel than she was. _

_"Thank you, that would be very kind." With a nod, Silv poured him a glass of white wine and refilled both Caroline's and her own drink. _

_"To the lovely Mikaelson ladies," Marcel smiled and raised his glass, "and to new friendships." When they had toasted, he looked at them curiously, his gaze lingering on Silv again. He seemed quite taken with her, making Caroline wonder whether this was genuine attraction or some sort of battle tactics. Klaus and Elijah could probably tell from one look, but Caroline had not yet become that much of an expert on human – and superhuman – motivations. She was, however, starting to rely more and more on her instincts, and they told her this man was trouble. He cleared his throat now, eyes still on Silv._

_"I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but after having been bachelors for a thousand years, the fact that both Klaus and Elijah have tied the knot is utterly intriguing. Not that I can blame them for having chosen two such stunning ladies. May I ask how you actually met them?"_

_For a moment, Caroline was tempted to be very impolite and tell him that it was none of his damn business. Then she frowned at herself. What had gotten into her? She was not usually that much of a shrew, especially not with people she had only just met, but this had probably something to do with the fact that the man sitting at the kitchen table wanted to defy her Klaus – who had most definitely gone through enough lately and was just on his way to becoming a little less of the Big Bad Hybrid. Only very little less, admittedly, but still. She tried to tame her reluctance and put on a light smile._

_"Silv and Elijah go way back. Klaus and I have met in Mystic Falls not so long ago."_

_"Ah yes, Mystic Falls… From what I hear, the place wants to give our lovely little town some competition as the global capital of the supernatural. Then again, it's where everything started for all of us, isn't it?"_

_Caroline took another sip of her wine. "So, are you married, then?" she asked pleasantly, making Marcel give a sharp laugh that resounded from the kitchen walls._

_"I am not, and I cannot imagine any circumstances that would ever change my mind about matrimony. Even back in my distant human days, when marriage was sort of compulsory, it was entirely out of the question for me to ever let myself be restrained like that. Not that my social status would have made me a very desirable husband, in all honesty." He eyed Silv again, admiration clear in his gaze. "And it is my firm belief that monogamy deprives you of so many enticing options."_

_Silv looked at Marcel with a hint of exquisite disdain. "I beg to differ. It presents you with possibilities you could never even dream of otherwise. Provided you marry the right person, of course." _

_Marcel took a sip of his wine and wiped a drop from his lower lip with his thumb. Caroline's eyes widened. Could he be any more obvious? "And you have married the right man, Mrs. Mikaelson?" he asked, a trace of huskiness in his voice. Caroline's gaze darted to Silv, wary of how the brunette was going to react to this very unsubtle pass. She relaxed when a broad smile graced her sister-in-law's features. Silv knew how to deal with unwanted suitors, that much was clear. She leaned forward, her glittering eyes on Marcel, her voice a melodious hum._

_"The one and only man who will ever be right for me."_

_"How would you know?" Marcel challenged. "There might be someone out there just as right for you as Elijah Mikaelson."_

_"So what you are so subtly insinuating is that you might be that someone?" Silv inquired with a hint of genuine amusement in her green eyes. Caroline wondered if she would ever develop such an elegant nonchalance herself. She sincerely hoped so._

_"Maybe. Maybe not. Would you like to find out?" Caroline caught her breath at Marcel's impertinence. She tried to tell herself that the whole purpose of his visit was to test the waters around the Mikaelson family, so she shouldn't be surprised, but it still upset her. Silv, on the other hand, seemed completely unperturbed._

_"I would say, tempting, but I'd be lying. You're really not my type. And yes, offense." Caroline stifled a giggle at the charming smile that accompanied Silv's rejection. _

_Marcel grinned cockily, but Caroline detected a flash of something close to anger in his dark eyes. "I've heard that before."_

_"Not from me."_

_"And I do hope it won't be necessary for my wife to repeat herself," an icy voice sounded from the kitchen door. _

_All three of them turned to see Klaus and Elijah standing in the doorframe, arms crossed, their eyes on Marcel. "To what do we owe the unexpected… _pleasure_ of your visit, mon cher ami?" Klaus demanded, clearly not overly amused at finding his former protégé in his house, seated at the kitchen counter with his wife and his sister-in-law. Still, Caroline couldn't help but thinking she detected a very subtle flicker of regret on Klaus' face. For some unfathomable reason, her husband must have liked this guy at some point._

_"I came to pay my respects to the sovereign," Marcel replied, and there was a rather conspicuous hint of sarcasm in his voice. He rose and walked up to the brothers, holding out his hand. "Klaus. Elijah. It is good to see you. Congratulations to you both on your recent nuptials. Quite honestly, I never thought I'd live to see the day that would find the two of you domesticated."_

_"This is the world of the supernatural. Anything can happen. Shall we take this conversation to the study, then? I believe we do have some catching up to do. Caroline, Silv – would you like to join us?" Klaus asked with a pleasant smile, but Caroline didn't fail to see through his façade. This had nothing to do with hospitality or friendly chatter. This was an inspection of enemy territories on both sides._

_"No, thank you," the two women replied in unison, making them grin at each other. "But do ask Marcel about his take on monogamy. It is rather fascinating," Silv added, raising her glass to Marcel while giving Elijah a very lascivious smile. The older Original's lips curved in response, and Caroline could see another flash of anger cross Marcel's face before the three men left for the study. They would all need to be on the watch indeed._

There had been quite a few encounters with Marcel since then, all of them characterized by a lingering tension, false smiles and a lot of beating around the bush. He was unfailingly polite to all of them and never made a wrong move, but the way he and the Mikaelson brothers tiptoed around each other had something very disconcerting about it. Over the last few days, the tension had been palpably increasing without any obvious trigger, which made Caroline very uneasy.

"So," Remy grinned, interrupting her musings and bringing her back to the present, "class finish early today, or are you just on cold turkey for a Sazerac?"

"Both," she snickered. "One of my professors called in sick so the last couple of lectures were cancelled. And where better to spend some unexpected free time than at a shadowy underworld opium den?"

He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I will try not to take offense. The last time I saw any opium in here was… ah… yesterday." Caroline rolled her eyes, making him chuckle. "Sazerac, then?"

"Sure. Does the Big Bad Hybrid, aka my husband, still have an open tab in here?"

"The Original Billionaire? He's had an open tab from the day I first opened this door to the supernatural riff-raff that has been frequenting my classy establishment ever since," Remy commented dryly and set to work.

Caroline smiled and watched him prepare her drink. They had developed a cautious sort of friendship over the last few months, bonding over Caroline's curiosity about his patrons and all things supernatural and Remy's delight in telling the most abstruse stories. Klaus disliked their beginning rapport, she was well aware of that, but he had never said a single word, taming his jealousy whenever he was in her presence. At first, she had considered reducing her contact with Remy so as not to upset Klaus more than absolutely necessary. However, after lengthy deliberations, she had decided against it. Her man should trust her, and if he couldn't, well, then he had better learn quickly! She tried not to stretch his self-control too much, though. Nothing was further from her intentions than to make him suffer – she wouldn't have liked his getting too close to any woman, either. _The woman that comes near him had better be a very fast runner!_

It was understandable that Klaus was uncomfortable with her spending time with Remy. The Spaniard – if he could still be called that after all those centuries – was a captivating man with a considerable amount of easygoing, pleasant charm. He looked like an adventurer with his handsome face, longish sand coloured hair he was usually wearing in a ponytail, and striking light blue eyes. Having been in his late thirties when Klaus had turned him, he exuded a certain debonair, mature confidence. Caroline found him nice to look at, but there was absolutely no man in the world that would ever be able to lure her thoughts away from Klaus for even a single moment. Not even happy-go-lucky Remy.

While she continued to gaze at how he fixed the Sazerac, she suddenly sensed something in the air. Her skin began to crawl and she stiffened – this was exactly how she had felt when she had first met Francesco Prelati, the dark warlock who had played such a major role in making Klaus go through hell twice and wallow in guilt for six centuries in between. But Prelati was on the Other Side with no possibility of ever returning to the Plane of the Living! She saw Remy look up and frown almost indiscernibly before he gave a curt nod to someone behind her. In slow motion, Caroline turned around on her bar stool to come face to face with a _very _familiar figure.

It was Bonnie.


	3. Pain Medication

**Merci mille fois à la France, Belgie, Luxembourg, Suisse ****Française**, Guyane Française et Polynésie Française! :)

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* * *

CHAPTER TWO

PAIN MEDICATION

"Hi, Care," the witch greeted her brightly, an eerie smile on her face. Caroline's initial reaction was a brief moment of joy after those long months during which she hadn't heard a single word from Bonnie. Her friend was alive and seemed well! Then reality kicked in, and she needed to remind herself that this was no longer her childhood pal. Before her stood a powerful Black Witch who had played a crucial role in bringing both Prelati and Mikael back from the Other Side to haunt and torture Klaus. Not to forget that those two men had been instrumental in the second death of her husband's beloved little brother Henrik.

Bonnie seemed to have physically changed, too. Where her face had been soft and delicate, there was now a hard angle to it. She looked leaner, tougher somehow. Even her eyes appeared to have darkened a shade. She emanated the same kind of unsettling aura Prelati had, making Caroline decidedly uncomfortable. Still, this was her friend! Or… was she?

"Bonnie," she replied cautiously. "I haven't seen you in a while. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I've been in town for quite some time now. It's a fascinating place, don't you agree? So much more _magical _than our little one-pony dwelling. With all the things to see and learn, I don't even know where to start. This feels like home, and I'm considering making New Orleans my permanent residence. To be perfectly accurate, I sort of already have." Caroline frowned at the dreamy look that crossed Bonnie's face for an instant. "But how have you been? I hear things about you… things I find hard to believe, Care."

Caroline didn't like the haughty tone the witch's voice had taken on. Her eyebrows rose. "Believe them."

A flicker of something flared in Bonnie's eyes. "You married _him. _Of all people, Care! What the hell has gotten into you? This guy is the freaking devil! Don't you remember any of what he did to all of us back in Mystic Falls? I understand that you have an itch to scratch sometimes, but couldn't you have found someone else to do the job?" The witch's voice had turned venomous now, and Caroline was starting to get seriously pissed off. How _dared_ Bonnie judge her for her choice after her friend's own involvement in bringing back Prelati and Mikael?

"And who are you to lecture me? You resuscitated a sadistic murderer who had a direct hand in the torture and killing of hundreds of children, not to mention the fact that you helped to revive Mikael who had his own innocent son slaughtered only to get to Klaus." She decided it was none of Bonnie's business that Henrik hadn't been Mikael's biological son after all but had turned out to have been sired by Klaus' real father, too. "You helped two of the single most evil men on the planet. Dammit, whatever happened to you? How could you do that? You who were always such a strong believer in doing what is _right._ How could you have succumbed to Black Magic, Bonnie?"

The witch threw her hair back in a rather dramatic gesture and folded her arms over her chest. "I didn't _succumb._ I _ascended._ Black Magic is a revelation, an entirely different level of existence far above the pathetic life I've led before. My mind, no, my entire being has been expanded in ways I never thought possible. The knowledge and wisdom I found in the darker spheres of witchcraft could never be achieved within the limitations of White Magic. And sometimes, collateral damage for the sake of the greater good can't be avoided. What are someone's short moments of pain compared to everything the world will be spared once it is relieved from people like Klaus?"

Caroline's breathing stopped, and white-hot rage all but strangled her. She forced herself to bring the stifling anger under control, just like Klaus and Elijah had taught her. _Never react in ill temper. But hell, I just want to hit her! How can she have changed like that?_

"You know, Bonnie, I have the feeling that your _succumbing_ to Black Magic can be compared to a vampire turning off his humanity. Look at you! Where did my friend disappear to? The caring, compassionate, kind Bonnie Bennett who was one of my best friends? Tell me, is anything left of her at all?" Her voice broke a little as she was flooded by grief. Until this moment, there had still been some hope inside her that maybe everyone had been mistaken about Bonnie's involvement in the recent events. But now that she looked at the witch, she couldn't detect any trace of the fun, friendly, sometimes a little self-righteous girl who had been her confidante for such a long time. _Well, okay, the self-righteousness is still there…_

Bonnie grinned and winked at her. "This is me 2.0. The new and improved version. Nothing on Earth could make me want to return to my old days. Frightened, insecure, clueless, powerless… why would anyone want to be that? Honestly, Care – would you voluntarily go back to being your human persona? Shallow, neurotic, everyone's doormat? Always second to Elena? Speaking of which," she added with a vicious smile, "wanna know a little secret? I only ever started to remotely tolerate you way after you were turned. You were insufferable as a human, and I couldn't stand the very sight of you. And I'm sure you can guess what my reason was to befriend you at all, can't you?"

"Elena," Caroline whispered, not trusting her own voice. Bonnie didn't reply, but the satisfied smile on the witch's face spoke volumes.

It hurt. It hurt because it hit home. Even Caroline hadn't liked herself overly much back then, but hearing this blunt confession from one of the very few people she had thought liked her no matter what pained her deeply. Her overwhelming happiness with Klaus had made her come to terms with the fact that almost every single guy in her past had been in love with Elena. She was no longer bitter about that, because everything that had happened had somehow led her to find the love of her life, her soul mate who made her feel so valuable, indispensable and adored. But the fact that even Bonnie had only ever been about Elena… it struck her on a different level. Her friends had always been her anchor, and to know that her relationship with Bonnie had been based on a lie took away part of how she defined herself. But there was no way in hell she would let the witch see how deeply she had hurt her.

"Well then," Caroline said icily, "it would seem we have nothing further to say to each other for now. If you don't mind, I will get back to my drink now." With that, she turned towards the bar where Remy had been paying very close attention to their conversation.

"There is one more thing, Care," Bonnie's cold voice sounded behind her. Caroline didn't move. "Klaus will fall. Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but he will fall. If you don't want to share his fate, you had better make the right choice soon. Leave him. You helped me a couple of times, Care, and somewhere deep down I haven't forgotten that. I would be sorry to see you going under at his side. Just a piece of friendly advice."

Now Caroline did turn around. Her face was composed as she stood and took one step towards the witch. Her chin came up and she gave Bonnie an evil smile, displaying what she had secretly practiced in front of the mirror a number of times but never really had a reason to try on anyone. Her _Mikaelson_ face.

"Listen closely. No one, I repeat, _no one,_ is powerful enough to beat Klaus. You haven't the faintest idea of how strong he is. And contrary to the way things have been in the past, he is no longer alone. His whole family will stand by him. _I_ will stand by him, no matter what. Nobody is ever going to defeat my husband, Bonnie."

The witch looked at her for a very long time. Then she nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that. When Klaus goes down, so will you. Expect no mercy."

Caroline gave a quick, hard laugh. "Who am I to expect mercy from? You? That would imply you are in a position to bestow any. Let me ask you a question – just who the heck do you think you are?"

Now it was Bonnie's turn to laugh, and it gave Caroline the creeps. She had never heard the witch's voice so unsettling and eerie. "Your very worst nightmare."

Excruciating pain flashed through Caroline's head and she stumbled back against the bar, grabbing the counter for support. Through the agonizing headache, she heard Remy's fist crash down on the wooden countertop, and his booming voice echoed from the walls of the large room.

"My rules apply to everyone, Miss Bennett, even to you. Get out. Now. And stay away from this day on. I tolerate no fighting on my premises. Leave."

The pain in her head subsided and out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw Bonnie ghost through the door without looking back.

* * *

"Are you all right, Caroline?" Remy's worried voice sounded very close to her ear. She quickly ran a hand over her forehead, straightened up and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Okay, let's rather say, I'm physically unharmed. But…" she slid back onto the stool, grabbed her glass and gulped down deep sip of her drink, "I can't understand how this could have happened to her! She was one of my best friends and I don't gather what made her turn into this cold, dark, twisted person. Somehow I never completely gave up the hope that Klaus had dramatized her 'transformation' whenever he spoke of her. He never particularly liked her, so I thought… but I guess I was just naïve."

She hung her head when she suddenly felt Remy's hand on her shoulder and looked up to see him standing very close, his eyes filled with warmth and concern. "No. You were not naïve, Caroline. You believe in the good in people, and you have just been severely disappointed. That hurts. And much as I hate giving you further cause for grief – you should begin to acquaint yourself with the idea that she is no longer your friend. You might have to fight her at some point, and if you let your conscience stand in the way, you will lose that fight. And… I would be very sorry to see that happen."

Caroline looked at him in astonishment. "I thought you were neutral."

"I am." But something in his eyes told her otherwise, and she was suddenly acutely aware of his hand still resting on her shoulder. _What…?_

"Am I interrupting?"

_Thank God._

Remy's hand disappeared, and Caroline whirled around to fall into Klaus' wonderful, strong, familiar arms. His mesmerizing scent engulfed her and she could finally breathe freely again. _Home._ She pulled him closer, ignoring his rigid stance, and softly pressed her lips to his. She kissed him once, twice, until his lips parted slightly and his tongue finally met hers. His eyes closed and he relaxed in her arms, taking control of the gentle kiss and welding their bodies together. Her hand sneaked up between them until it had reached his heart. She let her warmth flood into him and basked in how he subtly responded to her every move. His hands slid into her hair, something she had adored from the very first time he had done it, and for a fleeting instant, he pressed her body to his, holding her tight before he released her. Her eyes sunk into his, telling him how much she had missed him during these few short, endless hours of separation. After an instant, he cleared his throat and looked over her head at Remy who had returned to his bar.

"Care to explain your sudden suicidal tendencies, mate?" he asked with a pleasant smile and a deadly voice.

"No need to get all worked up, Klaus. Caroline was attacked and I merely made certain she was all right."

Klaus gently nudged her to get a better look at her face, his eyes narrowing. There was rage in them, mixed with deep worry and a hint of anxiety. "What happened, my love?" he asked quietly, running a hand over her hair and tilting her chin to meet her eyes.

"Bonnie… Bonnie came to see me." She told him what had happened and hurried to add that Remy had really just wanted to help her. _You sure, Caroline? There was something… more in his eyes. What if Klaus is actually not as paranoid as you thought? You will need to keep an eye on this._

When she was finished, Klaus gazed at her thoughtfully. "An eventful day, it would seem. Shall we leave, or do you want to stay another while?" he asked. When she jerked her head towards the exit and slid off her stool, he turned towards Remy and eyed him attentively. "We will talk about this, mate, and soon. Not only about how I never want to see your hands on my wife again, but also about how you could allow her to be attacked in your oh-so-neutral bar. Count yourself lucky that I don't usually dislike you."

Caroline shook her head in wonder. He was possessive, threatening and arrogant, as usual, but only a few months ago he would have gone for Remy's throat without any further discussion. He no longer seemed to have such a hard time reining in his impulsiveness, and Caroline had noticed that his ever-present tension had lessened considerably. The dominating themes in his life, namely violence, loneliness and a tendency to terrorize those who challenged him, were very slowly giving way to a more levelheaded but no less imposing authority, and she couldn't help but feel a little elated at the fact that it was partly due to her influence. They made each other gloriously happy and it showed in both of them.

As they stepped outside, Klaus turned towards her and gave her a very tender look. "Bonnie not only gave you migraine. She hurt you, didn't she?" He ran a finger across her chest and halted at her heart. "Here."

She nodded and pressed the entire length of her body to his, seeking comfort. And something more. A sharp pang went through her when she felt him harden. She yearned to talk to him about everything Bonnie had said, but not right now. Her body's current priority most definitely wasn't conversation. She had got used to that feeling after the months they had spent together, when at the beginning of their relationship she hadn't been sure whether she was a crazy sex addict, judging by the way that there was never a moment when she did not want him. But at some point, she had discovered that making love to him was more than just passion, lust and love. It was her universal remedy for everything that troubled her and her boost for everything that made her happy.

"It was something she said… I will tell you at home."

"Good. You will leave nothing out, and you will tell me why she got to you so much. And you will let me try to make you feel a little better about what happened, my darling girl. Right now, however, there is something _I _have to talk to you about. Something I need to remind you of."

"And what is that?"

Before she knew what had hit her, he had scooped her up and flashed off with her in his arms. He ran for a short while until they had reached an abandoned private residence with what seemed to be a large garden surrounding it. He broke the lock on the wrought iron gate with a snap of his fingers and finally put her down on the grass under a large, shadowy tree in a remote corner of the labyrinthine garden.

"I need to remind you of the fact that you are mine, my love."

Her heart clenched at the deep urgency in his voice. "And you couldn't wait until we got home?" she whispered, anticipation storming through her. _My outdoors man._

"I can never wait."

She expected his wild side. She expected him to show her she was his by taking her the way he had taught her to love so much – with unyielding strength, passion and power, bringing her to the edge and letting her tumble over it so violently it made her pass out at times. So she was all the more surprised at how velvety, soft and seductive his voice sounded when he spoke again.

"You belong to me and to me alone. Do you want me to show you how you are mine?"

A shiver went through her. She knew she probably shouldn't, but in moments like this, she adored his possessiveness. "Very much."

He smiled. "Then take me. Make love to me, Caroline, fuck me, wear me out. And with every single moan, every gasp, every scream you pull from me, you will know you are mine. Because of how you make me give myself over to you so implicitly, and because you know you will never want to live without that power again. You are addicted to the way I love you, to the way I want you, just as I am eternally addicted to everything you are, my love. That is what makes you mine."

Caroline took a step towards him, not touching but standing so close they both felt the heat radiating from the other.

"Here?" she breathed huskily, casting a quick glance around the deserted, overgrown garden, a powerful rush of excitement coursing through her. He had infected her with his fondness for making love in the open, and they had been on the brink of discovery more than once. It just added to the thrill.

"Here. Now." His voice was so low and silky again, promising her unspeakable pleasures.

Her hands began to softly explore the satiny skin underneath his black button-down shirt. She saw him close his eyes and did the same, tuning out everything but the feel of his skin under her touch, his alluring scent that always seemed to intensify with his increasing arousal, and the way their bodies seemed to have been deprived of each other for months instead of mere hours. Slowly moving in, she placed an open-mouthed kiss on each of the two little red marks of his Signum and raised her lips to whisper against his cheek.

"I am yours."

She heard him sigh and started to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt, following the path of her fingers with her lips and tongue, leaving hot, wet traces and feeling him tremble ever so slightly. When his shirt was undone, she lowered her head to his chest and circled one of his nipples with her tongue, at the same time pinching the other one with her fingers. Klaus groaned and pressed her head against his skin, making her give a quick smirk before she lovingly bit his nipple with her blunt teeth. His head fell back and a very loud moan escaped him, making her smile triumphantly. Oh yes, she knew each and every one of his sweet spots, and she loved to take advantage of that knowledge! Some spots had surprised her, like the day she had discovered that it drove him crazy when she kissed the palm of his hand, running her tongue over the little lines and the spaces between his fingers.

Caroline let his shirt glide to the ground and went on to rid him of his pants, grinning when she removed them. _Commando again. Nothing if not practical, are we?_ When his hands moved to pull her shirt over her head and on to undo her skirt, leaving her in naught but her bra and panties, she whispered again.

"I am yours."

With a low moan, he pulled her into a heated kiss, almost making her miss out on how he skillfully removed what little fabric was still covering her body. Caroline took a step back, giving them both a moment to look at each other. Her perfect Klaus. Lean, sinewy… and _very, very_ ready for her, the way he always was. She would never get enough of him, not in a hundred lifetimes.

He took her arms and brought her close again, his soft mouth attacking her neck now, making her surrender to the sweet agony of his lips, tongue and teeth devouring her sensitive skin while she let her hands run over his body, discovering it just like the very first time she had touched him. Before he could even react, her hand had firrmly grasped his hard length and she began to pump very gently while her other hand was on his backside, reveling in the slight contraction of his muscles and pulling him closer with every stroke.

"Ah...," he rasped with some effort, "my sweet little one is taking charge. Have at me, then!"

Caroline bit her lip and pushed him down onto the damp grass rather roughly. She really couldn't wait much longer! "Don't move and don't touch me. Just let me take you."

With a breathtaking smile, he flashed his dimples and looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with pleasure. "Gladly."

She lowered herself onto him, staring into his passionate, dark eyes, and positioned his hard, twitching cock at her entrance. Never taking her eyes off his, she slid down, taking him deep inside her, savouring every inch of the massive length that filled her bit by overwhelming bit. His breathing was growing heavy as her hot, moist tightness surrounded him. When he finally filled her to the hilt, she paused and repeated her earlier whisper.

"I am yours."

Caroline felt a tremble race through his body as she gradually began to move. Her hips rolled against his and she closed her eyes, letting her head fall back to fully focus on the delicious sensation of Klaus inside her, his little moans and gasps at her every move, and the soft warm breeze on her naked body. _Mmhh… heaven. _Gradually, she bent down towards him, placing her hands on the grass next to his head, stretching her legs out on either side of his while keeping him tightly inside her. Klaus' eyes widened at her unexpected move. She pushed his legs closer together, making him give a guttural groan that turned shaky when she began to move anew, circling her hips, quickly increasing her speed and the force of her motions. She could see he was yearning to touch her but she just gave him a warning glance. _This is hot! It feels like I'm the Alpha for a change!_ Sinking into his eyes, she began to take him in earnest, slamming onto him hard and fast. The sounds of flesh against damp flesh, throaty moans and little cries were driving Caroline right out of her head.

"I am yours."

She panted desperately, feeling herself dissolve in all the sweet, burning pleasure. Klaus grabbed her face and this time, she didn't stop him. His lips feverishly devoured her mouth, his tongue fiercely battling hers, making her groan into the scorching kiss, all the while she never stopped the wild dance of her hips on his body. They were both delirious by now, sweating and on the verge of completely losing themselves in each other. Caroline could feel how close he was, although he was very obviously trying to hold back. This time, she wouldn't let him. Taking him like a woman possessed, she kept her eyes on his… until she saw him let go.

His deep, loud growl pierced the silence, and he frantically gripped her hips to aid her movements on him. "Caroline… my Gods…" he grated, shuddering through the powerful throes of his orgasm. And then, on the height of his ecstasy, she bent down and whispered into his ear again.

"You are mine."

Klaus' hand found her clit, and it took him no more than a few rough strokes until her own climax melted with his and made her collapse onto his chest. His arms came around her immediately and pulled her down so she came to lie on him fully while the shockwaves of her orgasm held her hostage.

When she had gradually descended from her high, she propped herself onto her elbows with some difficulty and tenderly kissed his eyes, running her hands through his damp hair. Her voice was just a soft whisper. "Niklaus, how can you ever doubt I am yours? How can you ever come close to thinking I could consider so much as _looking_ at another man when I can't stand the thought of anyone but you touching me?"

"Easily. You know how much I love you, and you also know how possessive I am of you. No argument in how that is certainly not a very enticing character trait. But the thought of you even _thinking_ of someone else makes me want to extinguish mankind. And the mere idea of not being able to have you by my side every single day… I have no words for what that does to me."

_My vulnerable, lovely man. Please stop doubting. _Caroline let her whole body relax into his, resting her head on his chest and feeling his arms press her to him as hard as he could without crushing her. She knew how he feared losing her and what it cost him to even let her go to her college classes every day. She admired how he went against his very grain so decidedly in order not to restrain her or come across as too overbearing. Sometimes he failed, though, which usually resulted in a heated argument. But deep inside, she totally understood him. She was just as scared to lose him, only that she had the advantage of not having to fear anyone killing him just like that. Sometimes she had asked herself whether they were a bit too focused on each other, but it never felt wrong, crazy or abnormal. It felt necessary. Now that they had tasted this degree of love and intimacy, they both knew that they could never be without it again. Never be without each other again.

They still fought. Heftily. Their marriage was far from being all rainbows and ponies. _Okay, maybe it is, sometimes… often… most of the time… _Still, they bickered, disagreed, argued. But even the most heated of fights changed nothing about the fact that their souls became more and more interwoven with each passing day.

Caroline thought back to the morning she had awoken after a particularly nasty fight about something she didn't even remember now. When they had finally made up, they had talked all night and they had both realized that _everything_ brought them closer to one another, even their fights. That night, the bond between them had felt so strong that Caroline had the weird sensation of actually seeing it. The next morning, she had just been brushing her teeth when her gaze had fallen on the reflection of her Signum in the bathroom mirror. Her hand had frozen in mid-movement as she had stared at the two red marks. Something about them had changed. They had seemed to have _brightened_. She had called for Klaus who had heard the wariness in her voice and was at her side immediately. Scanning his neck, she had found that his mark looked exactly like hers. It had changed colour. They had silently stared at each other for a long while. Then Klaus had pulled her into his embrace and whispered in wonder, _"It would seem the colour intensifies with our growing bond. I did not know that. But… I do like it."_

She gazed down at him now, lying beneath her in the grass, naked in more than one sense of the word. "Do you think I can stand the thought of not being with you for any length of time? Do you believe I am not as crazily possessive of you as you are of me? Jesus, we are quite the twisted pair, aren't we?" she chuckled.

"Okay," he replied, "I will say one more cheesy thing and then I will be completely mundane and unromantic for the rest of the day. We may be twisted, yes, but not when it comes to each other. We're just very much in love, my darling."

"I'm actually in the mood for cheesy, so please don't strain yourself." Caroline smiled. "I love you, Klaus. Truly, madly, deeply."

He looked at her very intently, his eyes as eloquent as the insecurity she felt behind his whispered words. "Stay with me."

"Always and forever," she vowed firmly, knowing she had never been this certain about anything in her entire life, and understanding that from time to time, he still needed reassurance. As did she.

He closed his eyes and kissed her almost reverently.

Neither of them noticed the silent figure hovering on a remote corner of the massive wall surrounding the abandoned house, registering their every move. And their every word.


	4. Family Business

**Das Dankeschoen des Tages geht heute nach Deutschland, Oesterreich, Liechtenstein und in die Schweiz - ich hoffe, Ihr habt auch weiterhin Spass an der Story! :)**

**Thank you all, dearies, I just love your wonderful reviews, and of course I would like to also thank everyone who has read / followed / favourited! It means so much to me!**

**Today's chapter is a little longer - I hope you guys don't mind! :)  
**

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

FAMILY BUSINESS

When they finally returned home, they found Kol about to leave the house.

"Did you seek out Davina after all?" Klaus demanded, frowning at seeing his younger brother in what Kol called his get-laid-or-get-lost outfit. The younger Original yawned and pulled a face.

"Not yet. I had more pressing matters to attend to. And may I call to your attention the fact that I am not your messenger boy?"

_Ugh. Not again._ The ever-simmering conflict between Klaus and Kol had been put to rest for a little while after the events in France. Kol had been so genuinely appalled at what had happened to Henrik and Klaus that for some time, he completely forgot that it was his life's mission to provoke his older brother twenty four seven. But now, after quite a few months had passed, they had gone back into full-fledged rivalry mode. Kol especially, and no one really understood why.

"Is that so?" Klaus asked belligerently. "Then please do not strain yourself. You might feel way more comfortable at your own place, though. I am not running a hotel, brother. You either partake in the family affairs, doing your part, or you stay out of my hair. It is your choice."

"'Partaking in the family affairs?' You mean being at your constant beck and call, running minor errands the Original Hybrid is too high and mighty to handle himself?"

Klaus snarled and glared at Kol darkly. "High and mighty? That idiom has been invented for you, brother dear. Listen to yourself. Whatever it is you are being asked to do is a 'lesser task'. So I suggest you put your own house in order before getting on somebody else's nerves. Now, go and find Davina. And I am warning you, Kol. Be at your most charming and persuasive, find out what she knows and what the current status of her relations with Marcel is, if she has any. He has always had a fondness for witches." _Oh, maybe that's why he is so into Silv. He can probably tell she used to be a witch._ "And do not bother coming back before you acquire the information we need."

Kol stared daggers at his older brother. "You know what, Nik?" he began, only to be interrupted by Klaus.

"No. And I do not care to know. Leave and come back with some news. Stat."

"Yes, Sire! Of course, Sire! Immediately, Sire!" Kol spat, and without sparing either of them another glance, he stormed out of the house.

Caroline sighed. "Was that really necessary?"

Still fuming, Klaus turned to face her. "Yes. It is the only language he understands. He has never outgrown his adolescence, and there is nothing else that gets through to him. Believe me, I have tried." She put a soothing hand on his shoulder and heard him sigh. "You would not think he is a thousand years old."

With a light chuckle, she kissed him. "Sometimes it's hard to imagine that _you _are a thousand years old, if we judge by the way you occasionally behave."

Klaus' mood seemed to lighten, and he grinned playfully. "Permanently reminding me of how incredibly ancient I am and now suddenly accusing me of not acting my age? You cannot have it both ways, sweetheart."

"Okay, I'll settle for continuing to remind you of your age. There is much more potential in that. As in, 'Were rainbows actually black and white when you were a kid?' Or, 'When you watched Jurassic Park, did it bring back memories?' Or, how about…"

Klaus raised his hands in defeat, laughing and ruffling her hair. "I get it, thank you. Further examples are entirely redundant." With a tender smile, he gestured upstairs. "Shower and talk?"

She nodded, basking in the warmth that spread inside her. _So caring._ For a moment, she remembered the times when Klaus had been her worst nightmare, her friends' greatest enemy. It now seemed like a different person had lived that phase of her life for her.

When she emerged from the shower, Klaus had lit the fireplace and set out a blood bag and two glasses of Single Malt on the small couch table. Caroline smiled. When they had first moved in together, she had been completely taken by surprise whenever he did something as… _normal_ as this. He knew she loved these little gestures, which was his main driver, but she suspected they were also his guarded attempts at reaching out to humanity.

"Let me take a quick shower, too. For some unfathomable reason, there seems to be grass in places that haven't even _touched_ the bloody ground to begin with. I'll be right back."

Caroline stifled a giggle and curled up in a corner of the plush couch facing the fireplace, grabbing the blood bag and pouring some of the contents into a crystal tumbler. She had got used to drinking her blood from glasses, and maybe it was silly, but somehow, it made her feel more civilized.

While she idly listened to the running water, she closed her eyes and sighed in contentment. There was something so comforting, so deeply reassuring about this moment that despite the fact that she was still upset about her encounter with Bonnie, she was filled with placidity. Klaus had become her rock and she felt she was growing at his side, growing as a person. He had always led her to dream and to rise above herself, but she was also developing on a more basic level. Knowing that he would always support her, always be on her side, she faced her life fearlessly and with a certain sobriety, very unlike the more restless and insecure ways she had known before, even after she had been turned. Not to mention her human days. It made her feel like an adult and for the first time in her life, she sensed that she was being taken seriously, even by people other than Klaus. Her coeds, her professors, her family – they all actually listened when she spoke, and Caroline was beyond thrilled at that fact.

Interestingly enough, it was her new family life that also helped her mature. Her growing attachment to Elijah and Silv provided her with two invaluable advisors. The conversations with Elijah that had gradually started when she had first stayed at the Mikaelson mansion in Mystic Falls, back when she and Klaus hadn't yet been together, continued on a regular basis. The older Original was a very wise man who, just like Klaus, never judged her or dismissed her as naïve. Silv was a little more down-to-earth, and even with her amazing education, literacy and worldliness – all of which made her a perfect match for Elijah – she could be downright girly and giggly at times. The two of them had hit it off from the very beginning, right after they had first met in Norway, and their attachment had strengthened considerably ever since they had started living under the same roof and more often than not sided against the excessive displays of testosterone surrounding them. Caroline was glad to have someone to turn to for any kind of women talk, especially after having had to leave Elena and Rebekah behind in Mystic Falls. They made the men roll their eyes with their very deliberate swooning over Hiddleston, Cumberbatch and whoever else happened to be the flavour of the day. They talked about almost everything, with one notable exception – the short-lived affair between Silv and Klaus many decades ago. Caroline had learned about it right when she had first met Silv, and Klaus knew she was aware of it. Not too long ago, she had also found out that contrary to what Silv and Klaus believed, Elijah had always known about what had happened between his now-wife and his younger brother, although he had never mentioned it to them. The brief tryst had not meant anything to either of the two and it was not that it really stood between Caroline and Silv, but they had just tacitly agreed not to touch on the subject.

And then there was Kol. Caroline and the youngest Mikaelson brother got along fairly well. She liked the continuous banter, and Kol was always full of crazy ideas. Just two weeks ago, when both Klaus and Elijah had been gone for a few hours, he had pulled up in front of the house with a 1960 Cadillac convertible, wordlessly grabbed Caroline and Silv by the hands and drove them to a sordid, run-down shack of a bar on the shores of some forgotten bayou. The place had served nothing but Absinthe and the patrons had looked like they had been ship-wrecked in the eighteen hundreds and lived in the depths of the swamp ever since. The three of them had been stared at like they had fallen from the skies, especially Caroline and Silv, and they had had a field day when what had seemed to be the leader of the shipwrecks had stepped up to Kol and challenged him to a drinking game, the prize being the two women. Kol had kept bluffing, giving an amazing performance of not being able to hold his liquor while Caroline and Silv had done their best to look completely terrified, downing one Absinthe after the next and loudly begging Kol not to gamble away their untainted virtue. At some point, Kol's challenger had just silently fallen off his chair and passed out, making the two women thank him loudly for preserving their virginity. On the way back, the skies had opened their floodgates, and they had been sitting in the convertible, roof down, getting soaking wet and singing at the top of their lungs. Kol had actually looked a little happy for a change, and both Caroline and Silv had had to admit they had a really fun time. None of the three ever mentioned their road trip to the older Mikaelson brothers. It felt right to have that little secret with Kol. He had started calling them both 'sister' on occasion, and he seemed increasingly comfortable in their company.

But however well they got along, it did nothing to improve his relationship with Klaus. Kol highly respected Elijah, who was the only one able to actually get through to him from time to time, but Klaus was a different story entirely. They continuously spited each other, knowing exactly how to push one another's buttons. The atmosphere tensed palpably once they were in the same room, and Caroline knew it did mystify Klaus up to a point. He had been giving it a lot of thought but hadn't really come up with a clue. And he just couldn't get over himself with his younger brother. Caroline had a sneaking suspicion that Kol was somehow trying to make Klaus take him more seriously but failing miserably. Klaus _did_ take notice, but Kol's snarkiness only made him lash out at his younger sibling all the more. She supposed it could be considered progress that Klaus hadn't daggered or killed his brother in weeks. Outwardly, they showed a united front, yet Caroline had the distinct sensation that they were on the direct path to a major fallout, and she was ransacking her brains to find a way to avoid it. It was like the two of them were grenades about to explode, and however much Klaus usually valued her opinion on everything else, he seemed to be a little deaf on his Kol ear. Well, she would just have to keep trying.

Feeling a pair of hands on her shoulder, she sighed. A second later, his lips were on her hair and he gave her a gentle hug before he came around the couch, grabbing his drink and dropping into the cushions next to her. She turned towards him, pulling up her legs and crossing them, scanning his appearance. _Mmmh._ He was wearing black denims. Nothing hair was still wet and he looked completely at ease, the way he always did when they were alone. _So beautiful…_

"How are you feeling, my love?" he asked, raising his glass to his lips.

"Utterly ravished," she replied with a mischievous grin at the thought of their heated moments in the abandoned garden, making him chuckle with delight.

"Ah, but if memory serves, _I_ was the one being ravished. And very, verysatisfactorily so, if I may add."

Caroline smiled, tenderness filling her eyes. "I'm very glad to hear that. I wouldn't even want to think about the consequences of leaving the Big Bad Hybrid unsatisfied in any way!"

"Then you had better bring on your A-game every single time, Mrs. Mikaelson, or otherwise, you will not get to leave the bed until I am completely and utterly worn out. And you know that is not easily achieved."

With a giggle, she retorted, "Is that supposed to be a threat? If so, you're really losing your touch – I feel inclined to be totally boring in bed next time!"

Klaus took her hand and kissed it softly. "Now who's making empty threats, my love?" he chuckled. "So, do you want to tell me what Bonnie said to you that upset you so much?"

Caroline took a breath and began to recount her conversation with the witch. There was nothing she could do to stop the hurt from sneaking into her voice when she told him about how Bonnie had admitted to only having befriended her because of Elena. God, how she hated the way her voice sounded so small! Klaus' eyes narrowed and it was obvious that, had Bonnie been anywhere within reach, he would have loved nothing more than to rip off her head. But he just nodded.

"Come here," he murmured.

She moved to sit on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. He held her close, breathing a subtle kiss on her cheek before he began to speak.

"You know how much I hate to see you hurting." He kissed her again, and Caroline prepared for a speech on how he had always said Bonnie was not good news and how she should have let him kill her when he had planned to several months ago. They had fought tooth and nail over it and had finally compromised on Klaus putting the witch down if she made another move against any member of the extended Mikaelson family. But as he did so often, he surprised her again now.

"Much as I would like to engage in an extensive round of Bonnie-bashing, let me tell you this. Bonnie has turned to Black Magic, point one. That means it is now part of her nature to cause pain and distress. I do not doubt that her initial feelings towards you might indeed not have been characterized by an overly amount of sisterly love, but they were certainly not as negative as she painted them. Adding to that, she knows you well enough to strike where she can be sure it hurts you the most. For reasons passing understanding, Caroline, there is a little hidden voice inside you, whispering that it is your natural state to always be second to your friend Elena, and Bonnie is well aware of that. Point two, and think hard about this – why would she come to warn you, my love, if not out of some leftover feeling of friendship? She said it herself, she doesn't want you to go under with me. Not that I ever will, but that is beside the point. So whichever way your relationship started, you can be certain that she was indeed your friend before she turned to the Black side of magic."

They were looking into each other's eyes now, with Klaus' knuckles gently brushing her cheek. _How does he always manage to make me feel better when I'm hurt or angry? Even when it is about someone he despises?_

"Now, listen very closely, my darling. You know I have told you this before, but do indulge me. Nothing about you is second division, and I do hope you have started believing me by now. However, if my word does not suffice, just have a little talk with Elijah. Or Silv. Or even Kol, for that matter. You are not only an exceedingly beautiful woman, you are an exceedingly beautiful _person_. Look at how you gave me a chance despite of who I am. Look at how you incessantly support your family and friends in everything we do, no matter what. Look at how you continuously try to bring Kol and me together to work out our differences. Not that there is much hope for us. And, first and foremost, look at how you learn, observe, develop and expand your amazing personality every day. Think back to your human life, Caroline, and behold yourself now. You have made a breathtaking journey." He paused for an instant to press another kiss to her hand.

"Can you honestly tell me you believe that anyone in their right mind would even consider putting Elena before you? However close I look, I cannot see that she has changed ever since I first met her. She is tolerable, but she has never evolved. You, my love, are continuously growing, and I never stop marveling at this amazing woman by my side who becomes more and more fascinating with each passing day."

Caroline wasn't even ashamed of the tears streaming down her face. Klaus shook his head and leaned forward to softly brush his lips over hers. "You know it always makes me want to inflict terror and mayhem on a major Western capital when I see you cry, so for the sake of… ah… Caracas, you had better dry your tears now."

She sniffled and snuggled deeper into his chest. "Thank you, Niklaus," she simply whispered.

"What on Earth are you thanking me for?"

"For being my rock… and my warmth." She saw the raw emotion in his eyes and reached for his face, covering his lips with hers. They kissed for a very long time, slowly, lovingly, savouring each other and reveling in the familiar yet stirring sweetness.

"So what happens now?" Caroline asked when they finally let go of each other's lips and settled back into their comforting embrace. "Bonnie… what do you think she is planning?"

"I am trying to find out, but it is somewhat intricate. Davina, the witch Kol is supposed to speak to, is a White Witch and still very young, but something tells me she is to become immensely powerful and could be a formidable ally in the near future. She is also very deeply rooted within the world of witchcraft, despite the fact that she is something of an eremite. Therefore I am hoping to receive some intelligence on Bonnie's possible plot or if she does not know anything about it, on whatever other developments she has noticed."

She looked at him quizzically. "Why don't you ask this Davina yourself?"

Klaus gave a small sigh and rolled his eyes. "I wanted to give Kol something to do. And I have reason to believe that he might be able to extract some more information from her than I could."

"And why is that?"

"Rumour has it that Davina has a soft spot for Kol, and I fully intend to use that to our advantage."

"How does Kol feel about that?"

Klaus grinned viciously. "He has no idea."

Caroline huffed in exasperation. "Big Bad Hybrid has struck again, huh?"

"Sorry, my love, I can't claim all the credit in this case. It was actually Elijah's suggestion."

"Your brother can be so surprisingly mean!" she giggled. "Speaking of which, did you go see Caligula this morning?"

Klaus' eyes lit up, just the way they always did at any mention of his horse. She had given him the midnight black stallion for his birthday a few months ago. Her husband and the horse had taken one good look at each other and had instantly fallen in love. Well, it was a complicated kind of love. Caligula looked almost exactly like Tempest who had been Klaus' favourite horse back in the fourteen hundreds and was brutally killed by Mikael. Apart from their looks, another similarity between the two stallions was their fiery spirit. Caligula constantly fought Klaus, but the Original wouldn't have it any other way. When they had moved to New Orleans, Klaus had brought Caligula with him, and the horse was now stabled outside of the city. Klaus went out to see the black on an almost daily basis and was in invariably high spirits when he returned from one of his strenuous rides and yet another battle with the recalcitrant horse.

"Yes, I did. That bloody plough horse is getting more annoying by the day. You really know how to pick them, don't you, sweetheart?" he snickered.

"Built-in antennae for badasses. It's a curse," she grinned wickedly and reached for her Scotch glass.

"And a blessing for the bad boys," he whispered.

* * *

Kol returned two days later, still wearing the same clothes and reeking of cheap alcohol. Caroline was in the kitchen having a blood bag when he shuffled into the room and headed straight to the fridge. He wordlessly grabbed a beer and slumped onto a stool, giving Caroline a light smile and gulping down a few sips. An instant later, Klaus appeared in the doorway, tensing at the sight of his younger brother who very studiously ignored him. The older Original's eyes narrowed.

_I have a bad feeling about this…_

"Did you speak to Davina?" Klaus demanded, not bothering to hide his irritation. How did those two always manage to get each other's back up the minute they were in the same room?

Kol took another swig of his beer and shrugged. "Nope. Went to her place, she wasn't there, left a message, didn't hear from her. That is about the summary."

_Uh-oh._

Klaus straightened to his full height, taking two measured steps into the kitchen and leaning over the counter, his face a mask of anger as he glared at his younger brother. "I am utterly tired of this, Kol. You keep whining about how no one takes you seriously, but whenever you are being asked to perform a task, you behave like a pouting child. What is your bloody problem, brother?"

The younger Original slammed his bottle onto the counter. It crashed and splintered, sending dozens of little shards flying about the kitchen. "You want to know what my problem is, Nik? Fine, I will tell you! Your acting like God Almighty, that is my problem! It pisses me off! Who made you the head of this family? Why do we all have to bow to you and dance to your tune? Why, Nik? What makes you _my boss_?" he shouted, his face filled with rage.

Caroline held her breath. She hoped her presence would be enough to convince Klaus not to do anything he might live to regret later. Usually, the more someone shouted at him, the calmer he became, but all bets were off when it came to Kol. She saw him grit his teeth, and his voice lowered to a snarl.

"Well, brother dear, I would say circumstances have made me the head of this family. I shall be delighted to give you some examples. First, our father who has been hunting us for a millennium. Would _you_ have been able to protect the family from him for a thousand years? I think not. Second, your rampages. Both Elijah and I had to save your neck and keep the family from being exposed so many times I have lost count. You have no control whatsoever over your impulse, and you immediately cater to your every whim without giving so much as a moment's thought to the implications it might have. You want to be a part of this family? Fine. But as long as you are unable to assume some responsibility, show yourself worthy of our trust and think of something other than your own pleasures, I will continue to act like God Almighty, and as long as you live under my roof, Kol Mikaelson, I will be your bloody boss!"

Kol grabbed the first thing he came across, which happened to be a bottle of red wine, and tossed it in his brother's direction with all his might. Klaus easily evaded the missile, and the bottle crashed into the wall next to Caroline, spraying her with wine and making her shriek. _Crap, that's not good! He will go ballistic!_ In one quick stride, she was at Klaus' side and put a hand on his arm. He was so tense he would probably burst if she poked him in the chest right now, she thought nervously.

"Sorry, Caroline," Kol muttered. "I didn't mean to…"

"That's fine," she hurried to assure him, "I never liked that shirt too much anyway."

Klaus gently removed her hand from his arm and took a step towards his brother. "Get out."

"Niklaus," she started to say, but he just held up a hand.

"Kol, you will leave my house. Now. I do not wish to see you again in the foreseeable future. Come back when you have made up your mind about whether you want to be a part of this family. Until then, do whatever you please, but don't do it here." He folded his arms over his chest and glared at Kol who had finally registered that his brother was actually serious. He growled and slammed the door wide open.

"You'll regret this, Nik! I swear to you, the day will come when you will be sorry for not being a brother to me!"

Caroline could see that Klaus was now working himself up into a full-blown rage. "I fail to see how, Kol, when I will so thoroughly enjoy the peace and quiet that will finally settle in this house the minute you are gone. Which is about… now!"

With an outcry, Kol stormed out of the house, leaving Caroline and Klaus to stare after him.

"Hey," she murmured softly after a minute of silence. She knew how he hated being at odds with his family, and it was clear he would suffer over his fallout with his younger brother, however strained their relationship was. "Are you all right?"

Klaus turned around and pulled her into his arms. "He drives me crazy, Caroline! I just can't fathom why he keeps being so bloody difficult! Yes, I know that I let him get to me far too easily, but… damn it!" He exhaled sharply, and Caroline began to soothingly stroke his back, breathing evenly against his chest, hoping to help him calm down.

"You will work it out, Niklaus. Look, I think he is desperate for you to take him seriously, to give him some responsibility for the family. He looks up to you so much, and it's not easy for him with such an overly powerful brother," she said quietly, making him shake his head.

"How am I supposed to take him seriously if he keeps acting like that?" he asked, a faint hint of despair to his voice.

"You're both a little, ah, _unaccommodating_ when it comes to each other. Give the waters a little time to calm and then try again, okay?"

Klaus huffed. "Why is it always me who has to try?" he complained.

She let her hands sneak under his shirt, stroking his bare back and making him sigh. "Because you are older, wiser, less juvenile – okay, most of the time, granted – and the greater man. Aren't you, Niklaus?" she purred and heard him chuckle.

"Nice tactics, my love. But you will have to work a lot harder to actually make me give in, and I have a feeling I shall be enjoying your efforts immensely. But how about getting you out of that shirt first? You smell like you have been bathing in Château Mouton-Rothschild – not that I dislike the idea, but I much prefer that wonderfully pure, intoxicating scent of your skin separate from vintage Bordeaux."

Caroline giggled. "I'll go wash off the stuff, then."

He eyed her mischievously. "On second thought…" And without her having seen him move, her shirt was gone and his mouth was on the wine stains on her chest.

"Niklaus!" she gasped, immediately feeling the heat pool between her legs. "Bedroom!" She didn't even want to think about Silv's and Elijah's faces if they happened to walk in on them now.

Klaus just grinned, lifting his eyes to hers while swishing his tongue over her breast, making her moan and close her eyes in pleasure.

"Maybe later."

* * *

A few days had passed, and Klaus was still distressed about his quarrel with Kol. Caroline had tried in vain to get him to talk to his younger brother, but he was so stubborn she thought it political to put the topic to rest for a short period of time. Sitting in the study with her books, she attempted to concentrate on how to identify the specific patterns of Magdalenian style in cave paintings of the Early Bronze Age, but thoughts of Klaus and Kol kept sneaking into her mind until she sank back into her chair with an annoyed huff. Klaus had been irritable ever since his fight with his younger brother, although he made a visible effort not to show it. Caroline had a faint suspicion that he missed the banter. _He needs a distraction. Something he can complain about. _Then it hit her. _Of course! How did I not think of that before?_ Grabbing her phone, she quickly dialed a number.

_"Care?"_

"Hi Lena. How are things with you? Gosh, we haven't spoken in at least three days!"

_"Tell me about it, I miss you like crazy! So how's college going this week?"_

"Ugh, I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of some Paleolithic shaman who must have smoked about a ton of weed before putting his psychedelic visions on some cave wall in France. I swear to you, that guy only painted the cave because he knew it would confuse the hell out of everyone a gazillion years later." She heard her friend giggle. "How're things back in Mystic Falls?"

_"Stefan is trying to sell Rebekah on bunny hunting. She's indulging him for now, but I think she's cheating. You should have seen the disgust on her face the first time she tried a bunny – she looked like she was going to puke right on Stefan's shoes." _Caroline grinned, imagining the scene. She was pretty sure Bekah was indeed cheating.

"So how's Damon?" she asked and heard Elena give a subdued, blissful sigh. They seemed to still be on cloud nine, just as she was with Klaus, and she was happy for her friends. It had taken them long enough to finally resolve their issues, and they deserved some good times.

_"All good, although I have a feeling he is a bit bored. Ever since you guys left, he has had no one to pick on – Klaus is gone, Kol is gone and Stefan doesn't really go for his jabs. I think I need to find him a new target."_

Caroline cleared her throat. "That's actually what I'm calling about. I… kind of have the same problem with Klaus. He had a big fight with Kol and kicked him out of the house, and he has been kind of grouchy ever since. I know he misses his brother, although he would probably stake me for saying that, and I think he may do well with some distraction. Other than me, I mean," she added, sending them both into a round of chuckles. "Do you think you guys could come to visit for a few days? All four of you?"

_"I'd love that, Care! And I'm sure both Rebekah and Stefan will be on board. As for Damon… well, he'll never let me go alone, so there is not much persuasion necessary. But how will you convince Klaus to have Damon stay under the same roof? And voluntarily, at that?"_

Caroline grinned. "It starts with please-Klaus-let-them-visit sex, followed by thank-you-for-graciously-agreeing sex and topped off with of-course-you're-still-the-boss-around-here sex." They laughed again, and Caroline let the warmth fill her up at the thought of Klaus in her arms. She didn't mention to her friend that everything would turn into Klaus-I-love-you-like-crazy sex after about two seconds.

"Lena, do you think you can ask Tyler to watch out for my Mom while you're gone? I don't believe anything will happen, but I'd be a little more at ease."

_"Sure, I'll call him right away, then I'll talk to the other three and will let you know when we're coming. I really want to see you again, Care!"_

"Same here. Love you, Lena!"

_"Love you, too!"_

Caroline put her phone away. She knew she should have asked first if anyone had a problem with her friends visiting, but she seriously doubted it. Silv would enjoy seeing Bekah and Elena again and most importantly, Klaus would be able to harass Damon for… well, being Damon. If she was to be perfectly honest with herself, it would also be a little bit of a distraction for her. A distraction from the fact that Klaus was getting more and more absorbed in his plot to take over what he called lost territories. When they were together, he was unwaveringly loving, passionate and completely focused on her, but the whole armoured reconnaissance mission was taking up an increasing amount of his time, and it was bothering her.

Hearing the front door, she cocked her head and listened. Silv was back, sans Elijah this time.

"Silv?" she called, stifling a chuckle at the sound of heaps of paper being dropped on the front hall table. New month, new loads of magazines. Silv was a serious car fanatic and could spend hours drooling over pictures of sports cars or the newest gossip from the Formula One paddocks. Caroline shook her head in amusement. "New additions to the car porn collection?"

A second later, Silv peeked around the corner, her eyes shining brightly which made Caroline raise her brows. _Uh-oh, she's found the love of her life. Again_. _Poor Elijah… having to compete with cars of all things._ With three quick steps, Silv was at Caroline's side and shoved a magazine in her face.

"Good God, look at _this,"_ she purred, pointing at a picture of a sleek sports car, "Aston Martin Vanquish in matte black finish. Have you ever seen anything quite so beautiful?"

"Yep," Caroline snickered, "and he actually lives in this house."

Her sister-in-law rolled her eyes, grinning. "I'm talking inanimate objects here."

With a giggle, Caroline raised a hand. "Please tell me you're not thinking about cars when you're… performing your conjugal duties!"

"Nope. No time to think at all," Silv winked, making Caroline grin in return.

"Before you get all starry-eyed over a possible threesome with your new Brit boyfriend Aston and his friend Martin again – I invited Elena and the Salvatores to come and visit, with Bekah of course. I hope you don't mind?"

The older woman smiled. "Of course not. It's actually a great idea, for I believe it might make Klaus look a little less like the Grumpy Cat. This whole Kol business is really getting to him, isn't it?"

"It is, which is why I thought if he can stake Damon every day before breakfast, it might cheer him up a bit," Caroline sighed. "And maybe he can have a couple of good talks with Stefan. They were just on their way to tiptoeing around renewing their friendship when we left, and I hope they can go down that path a little further. Will Elijah be okay with it, too?"

"Absolutely. I know he's been missing Bekah, so he'll be happy to see her. What did Klaus say?"

Caroline squirmed. "I haven't broken the good news to him yet."

Now Silv's face split into a huge grin. "Well, good luck with that. By the way, I ran into Marcel earlier. Again. Judging by the frequency of these encounters, there is nothing accidental about them, and it is seriously getting on my nerves. I am considering telling Elijah, but I have the strange feeling that killing Marcel just like that would probably upset Klaus even more."

"What did he say?" Caroline asked, pulling a face. _Maybe Elijah shouldn't kill him, but he should most definitely get him to move to the ends of the Earth. Outer Mongolia sounds nice._

A thoughtful expression appeared on Silv's lovely face. "Most of it was the usual rubbish about how he finds me so enticing, charming, captivating, blah blah. But what he said next won't leave my head. His exact words were, 'There is something I can give you that no one else could, not even Elijah Mikaelson.' At first I thought it was one of his constant sexual innuendos, but when I told him that even if he lived for a thousand years, I would still pick Elijah over him every day and twice on Sundays, he said, 'Can he make you one of the most powerful women in the world?'"

Frowning, Caroline gave her sister-in-law a quizzical glance. "What did he mean? Did you ask him?"

"I did. He grinned and shook his head. 'Maybe I am just joking,' he said. And then he became all gooey and would-be seductive, saying something about how he was looking forward to the day I would realize that I should be a queen. The nerve of that man is quite remarkable."

Playing with her ball pen, Caroline wondered if she could ask Silv what she needed to know. The two of them got along so well, but this was definitely prying into the older woman's privacy, and Caroline felt very reluctant. But it concerned Elijah, and she loved her brother-in-law so much. _Courage, Caroline!_

"Silv, I know this is none of my business, but… are you attracted to Marcel?" she asked cautiously, hoping that Silv wouldn't resent her for the personal question. But the brunette just smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Have I ever told you how glad I am that you are my sister? And Elijah's, for that matter?" Caroline blushed and shook her head. "I like the way you keep looking out for everyone in this family. And to answer your question – no. I am not the least bit attracted to Marcel. I wasn't lying when I told him he is not my type. But what is much more important, I love Elijah in a way that doesn't leave room for anyone else. Not even for the _thought_ of anyone else. I believe you can relate to that, can't you, Care? Think of Remy. Not that he is pursuing you as obviously as Marcel hits on me, but I think you are aware of the fact that he is very smitten with you. I know you like him, but could you seriously consider even holding hands with him?"

Caroline shook her head. Silv had a point there. She knew Remy fancied her, not that he was openly showing it, but she wasn't blind or deaf. There was a certain way the bartender smiled at her, a very particular tone in his voice when they spoke, and a special gleam in his eyes whenever they rested on her and Klaus happened not to be looking. She felt flattered, admittedly, and she was fond of Remy, but that was the extent of her feelings. As she had discovered a long while ago, Klaus was her Omega, for lack of a better word. However it had begun, whatever would occur in the future and no matter what path she would pursue, it would always steer her to him in the end. No other man stood any chance of ever leading her astray, no matter what happened between her and Klaus going forward, however often he was away and whatever he did. Her heart and her soul had chosen him, and that choice was irrevocable.

"No, I couldn't. There will never be anyone but Klaus. Just the thought makes me cringe."

With a knowing smile, Silv sat down next to her. "But I am actually glad you asked. There is something else as well. Whenever I am in Marcel's presence, I sense a certain kind of energy, and I can't put my finger on what it actually is. I have the feeling that he has a some sort of pull or allure, only that I am not reacting to it. This might be one of the reasons he deliberately crosses my path so often – he is trying to make it work, whatever it is. Do you sense anything out of the ordinary in his presence?"

"Other than repulsion, you mean?" Caroline asked, rolling her eyes and making them both chuckle. "No, nothing at all. I could sense the energy emanating from Prelati and Bonnie, and I seem to be growing more and more attuned to feeling Klaus' presence, but there has never been anything strange about Marcel."

Silv's eyes narrowed. "It might be magic-related then. And it seems that I can still feel magic at work." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I wonder what it could be."

"We'll probably find out eventually," Caroline replied sadly. Klaus was so busy with his quest to become king of the mountain that she hardly saw him most of the time. She was beginning to loathe all the scheming, the strategies, the eternal worries about when World War III would finally erupt. She just wanted some peaceful times after everything they had gone through, as far as that was at all possible, and not to have to continuously think about who was an enemy, who was a friend and who could become one or the other sooner or later. It was tiresome. Was it too much to ask to just be with Klaus and her family without any threats and plots for a little while, to enjoy that they had found each other and to just _live_?


	5. The Price of a Kingdom

**Dank je wel Holland! :)**

**And there I thought I wouldn't get around to updating tonight, but it's so freaking hot around here that I can't sleep anyway. As always, thanks to all the wonderful guest reviewers and everyone who has taken the time to read! :)**

**Sorry, my brain has kind of evaporated in the heat, so I'll just leave you with the new chapter now - and with a very big thanks! :)**

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

THE PRICE OF A KINGDOM

Klaus returned very late that night. Caroline was still in the study, poring over an article on cave paintings in the Cueva de Las Manos in Argentina, when she sensed him outside. She had missed him so very much, but she was also a little angry at how she hadn't seen him all day, and again only because of his idiotic ruse to subdue freaking Marcel. Couldn't they just move somewhere else and leave this one town to him if he was so keen on having it? Klaus could still rule the remaining ninety-nine point nine percent of the planet, couldn't he? He never failed to send her texts, call or leave her messages when he was gone, and she knew he missed her, too, but she was still upset. With an indignant sigh, she tried to plaster a neutral expression on her face. Despite everything, she didn't want to come across as the whining wifey. And despite everything, she was beyond relieved to have him back safe and sound.

A second later, he appeared in the study doors and Caroline felt a little pang of guilt at her earlier musings when she saw how his whole face lit up at the sight of her. It was not that she wasn't wildly happy to see him, too. In fact, she was overjoyed, and her heart skipped a nonexisting beat, sending the butterflies into a quick round of breakdance. But she hadn't been fast enough to put the small spark of disappointment and annoyance out of her eyes.

"Caroline," he murmured, his eyes meticulously analyzing her face, "you are upset."

_Uncanny. It never fails to amaze me just how he reads my every emotion. _

With a few strides, he was at her side and pulled her up into his arms, embracing her tightly and resting his cheek against hers. Caroline suppressed a blissful sigh, trying to fight the impulse to bury her face in the curve of his shoulder and just bask in his scent, his strength and the fact that he was home. She was angry. But she couldn't help closing her eyes and allowing the tenderness to wash through her for an instant before she pulled out of his hold to look at him.

"I have to finish reading this," she said as composedly as she could, pointing at her open book and moving to sit back down. His hand on her arm stopped her and he gestured towards the couch.

"Grant me a few moments," he said and sauntered to the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a generous glass of Glenmorangie before sitting down and holding out his hand to her. For some reason, it got Caroline's back up.

"You've been gone all day and all evening, so it won't make much of a difference if I finish my stuff first, will it?" _Ugh, will I ever learn to keep the emotions out of my voice?_

Klaus' eyes narrowed. He took a sip of his drink before he set the glass on the coffee table and scrutinized her closely. "I meant to be home much earlier, but a few things needed to be taken care of. I hoped you might still be happy to see me, just as I have been craving to lay eyes on you ever since I left this morning. It would seem that I am mistaken," he retorted, hurt just as obvious in his voice as her annoyance was in hers.

She plopped into her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't be an idiot. Of course I am happy to see you, and you are perfectly well aware of that. It's just that for the life of me I can't understand… no, you know what? Never mind. I'll finish reading this, you have your drink and we just forget I ever said anything." _When have you stopped wanting to discuss things that are bothering you? _

He seemed to be asking himself the same question. Within less than two seconds, she found herself lifted from the chair and placed on the couch next to him. Glaring at him, she moved to sit in the furthest corner of the sofa, idly wondering what it was that made her act so childishly tonight. But she couldn't help it. She felt neglected, she couldn't understand what was so important about this bloody town, and she had the weird feeling that something was in the air and that whatever it was, it would happen soon. Her earlier conversation with Silv only confirmed her lingering suspicion that something just wasn't right. It made her twitchy and irritable, and she couldn't find another way to express her disquietude than taking it out on him. The glass was back in his hand now, and he watched her attentively.

"What is it you can't understand for the life of you, Caroline?" he asked, his voice low and constrained. She just shook her head once and decided she had nothing to lose.

"I can't understand _you,"_ she snapped, throwing her hands in the air. "I know we came here to make sure Marcel doesn't threaten the family, but as far as I can tell, he hasn't made a single move against us. Okay, he is dangerous, I gather that, but why can't we just leave this town to him and find somewhere else to settle? What is so important about you being king of this place? Everyone knows you are the most powerful being on Earth, so where's the point in all of this?"

He had not taken his eyes off her during her outburst. Now he ran a finger along the rim of his glass and said quietly, "It is all about the show. People may _know_ I am the most powerful creature, but they also have to _see_ to believe it. And in addition to that, there is more to all of this than meets the eye, and I need to be on top of whatever is developing. If we leave, or if I just kill Marcel today, I will never learn what this is truly about, and I always prefer not to act unless I have all the variables to the equation."

Letting her head drop back, Caroline took a deep breath. "But why is it so important to you? You can't be killed and your siblings can't, either."

"But you can."

She was stunned into silence for a moment. Klaus watched her over his Single Malt glass, his eyes wary. She knew he hated fighting with her, as did she, but he would also always stand his ground. Thinking about his words, she shook her head.

"No. You are not making this about me. You can protect me from anything – if you are here, that is – and what danger would I be in? I'm still a vampire after all. No, Klaus. This is about you. What is it you really want?"

Setting his glass down with a loud clang, he leaned forward, glaring at her. "I want for you to be safe. I want for everyone in the universe to know that no one can ever lay so much as a finger on you. You are my wife, and whoever wants to even consider threatening you should think about that very carefully. I want to be able to sleep at night without having to constantly worry about what could happen to you. It might have escaped your notice, Caroline, but I love you with every fiber of my immortal being and I will not allow anything whatsoever to happen to you, out of the purely egoistical reason of not being able to live without you. That is what I really want."

She felt herself soften, but she fought the feeling down. He was telling the truth, but he was also keeping part of his motivations from her. "I know," she said. "But that is not the only reason. You promised you'd never lie to me, remember?"

His eyes never left hers when he dropped back into the cushions and gave a deep sigh. "Of course I remember. Fine," he muttered, "if you really care to know, I want a realm, Caroline. A kingdom to call my own. After a thousand years of running, of never being able to settle and leave my mark on something, I want to finally take the place that is rightfully mine. I founded this town, but someone else's name will forever be recorded in the history books. I do not mind that, my love. What I do mind is that someone else is claiming what should be mine as his dominion, and that I cannot and will not tolerate."

A rush of disappointment coursed through her, calling for the insecure, neurotic teenager to surface for the first time in a long while. _I am not enough. Again._ She got up and ran a hand through her hair. When she spoke, she was aware that her voice sounded strangled and deeply hurt, but it was all the same to her. "And here I thought love was the one thing you have been searching for all your life. But it seems I was a bit naïve to think that, wasn't I?"

"My darling, you know perfectly well that love, _your_ love, is the one thing I could never forsake. I have indeed been looking for it all my life, and I am ecstatic to have found it in you."

A tear threatened to fall but she didn't allow it to. "Then why does it have to be a kingdom?" she whispered. "Why am I not enough?"

Now he flashed off the couch, pulled her into his arms and had them both back on the sofa within the blink of an eye, with Caroline nestled on his lap. She put up a short, half-hearted struggle against his hold, but he didn't yield. After a few seconds, she gave up and hung her head. The thought of not sufficing, of not being enough almost strangled her, although she was not competing against Elena this time but against world domination. _You should probably consider that an improvement._

"I understand you, Caroline, although I do not agree with you. I need you more than I will ever need anything else. That does not, however, imply that all other needs have suddenly disappeared completely. They have moved way down the priority list, but they are still there. One of the things I crave is power, which I assume is not news to you. It is not a noble desire, that I will concede, but it is something that has dominated the greater part of my life and it will always be a part of me, although I am in no position to tell you to what extent." He gathered her close and kissed her temple with infinite tenderness. "But what I do know, and what you should know just as well, is the fact that you, my darling girl, will _never _be second to anything. Not a kingdom, not my craving for power, nothing." There was a brief pause. "The day I asked you to marry me I swore to you I would always put you first, and I meant it. You are my one priority, the single most important thing in my life. Still, I need to do this, my love."

Caroline was silent for a long while, leaning against him. He gave her time to think, just softly stroking her arms. She knew he loved her deeply. If he ever had to choose between her and whatever or whomever else, there was not a single doubt inside her heart that it would always be her. But this was not only about their feelings for each other. It was also about making their relationship work, and they were both damaged enough as it was without having to add further obstacles. Most of the time, things between them were beautiful, fulfilling and downright heavenly. When they were together, it couldn't have been more perfect. But Caroline wasn't sure how to deal with the ancillary symptoms of Klaus being the Big Bad Hybrid and wanting to preserve that status.

"You say you need this, Klaus. But at what cost?"

Frowning, he looked into her troubled eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You are spending more and more time away from me. You are pulling your family into this, namely Elijah and Silv, and even Kol, although in a different way. What if one of us doesn't want to do this anymore, someday?" She held her breath, knowing how he would take what she had just said. And she was right. His voice lowered to a hiss and his gaze turned icy.

"Are you threatening me, Caroline?"

She gave a mirthless smile. "I knew you would say that." His eyes softened infinitesimally but he didn't reply. "I am not threatening you, and I'm actually a bit disappointed that you think so low of me. I only want you to consider all aspects of this. Look, you have a wife now, and for the first time in I don't know how long, your family is peacefully gathered. Well, it's peaceful most of the time, I'll give you that. Your siblings love you, Niklaus, and I find myself more and more in love with you with each passing day. Think about all of that. Do you really want to risk it for nothing but a few opportunistic followers who don't actually mean a thing to you?"

Klaus' features had softened further while she had been speaking, and he had resumed his gentle caresses on her arms. But she could see the worry in his eyes now. There seemed to even be a hint of fear.

"Am I risking it, then?" he asked warily, never taking his eyes off hers, giving her the feeling that he was gazing right into her soul.

"To a certain degree, maybe. I don't want to wake up every morning for the rest of eternity knowing that you will spend the day going to yet another war. Reactively, yes. If our family is being threatened, I want you to defend us for all you are worth. But provoking battles day in, day out, putting yourself and everyone at risk for nothing? I don't know how to live with that for centuries."

Now the small gleam of fear that had been glimmering in his dark eyes turned into a bright fire. He was very uneasy, she could clearly see that.

"So what you are saying is that you will leave me if I don't stop doing what I do?"

_No, my beautiful Klaus. I don't think I ever could. But I have no idea how to deal with this. I love you so much, and I want to accept you just the way you are. I do most of the time, but to think that I will have to live with this constant scheming for hundreds and hundreds of years takes some getting used to._

She leaned into him and sighed. "That is not what I'm saying. But I want you to know how I feel about it, and I want you to give some thought to why you are actually doing all of this. Is that too much to ask?"

Klaus took her face in his hands and very softly covered her lips with his, kissing her slowly and intensely. When he released her, he shook his head. "No. It is not too much to ask. Shall we compromise?" Caroline nodded. "How about I do the following. I will give some very serious consideration to everything you just said, and I will try and put some more trust in Elijah to handle a few things on his own. In exchange…"

"Yes?" she asked when he didn't continue.

His voice was very low, almost a whisper. "In exchange, you will not threaten me again."

"I didn't…"

He shook his head, almost crushing her against him. "Yes, my love, you did. Which shows me that you are very serious about this. I know you love me, Caroline, and I know you would never say anything like this out of a mere whim. How long has it been bothering you?"

Caroline swallowed. "Quite a while. I am so incredibly happy when we're together and I've been trying to ignore everything that is not rainbows and ponies, but it has been nagging at me for some time now. I should have mentioned it earlier, I know, but it's just… You know how I hate to fight with you, but ever since we came here, I hate it even more."

There was a look of astonishment on his face when he inquired, "And why is that?"

"Okay, I know that this will sound completely childish, especially for a vampire. And I know you really like this town…"

Giving her a gentle smile, he caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. "But what, my darling?"

"The darkness about this place… there are moments when I like it. The first night when we were sitting by the window and looking at what was happening outside. That one time we came home and the old woman was standing in the shadows, singing that French song… what was it called again?"

Now she felt him go a little rigid. "Ne Me Quitte Pas."

"Right. It was very beautiful. And it made me like the darkness that night. There were some other times, too. All the art, the food, the fascinating architecture… it's really amazing, and I love it when you show me around and tell me about it all. But… I find New Orleans so somber. I like this house very much, I like going to college, I like Remy's. You have founded this town, Klaus, and it is an amazing accomplishment. You created what I'm sure is one of the most fascinating cities in the world, and I can't even begin to tell you how impressive that is." She paused and tried to find a way to say what she was about to say next. Klaus was gazing at her thoughtfully.

"But all in all, you don't like it here," he concluded.

She hung her head. Despite their little fight, despite the fact that she didn't like what he was doing, there was nothing she hated more than hurting him. She knew he was very proud of his city, and rightfully so. Caroline was convinced that Marcel was mostly to blame for the atmosphere, having cemented his authority with intimidation, brutality and fear, and a reign like that had to have an effect on the air. She wondered whether it would have been any better had Klaus not left New Orleans, but she was realistic enough to know that it probably wouldn't have been the case. He had been working with the same methodology all his life. Still, she felt terrible about telling him she would probably never feel truly at home in his city.

"I'm sorry."

Klaus lifted her chin and kissed her again. "Don't be, my love. Well, I have to admit that I am a wee bit sad you have not fallen in love with New Orleans the way I had hoped you would. But it is far from being the end of the world for me, please do not worry. I have said it very many times, but I will say it again. You are a creature of light. This is a place of darkness, as you correctly pointed out, and yes, I have always liked it. Partly because it was my creation and partly because I am a creature of darkness myself. I remember that I originally chose this area for my new city because it represented darkness, malice and mystery. I always said it represented _me. _But ever since we moved here together, I have come to like something very different about this place. Would you care to know what it is?" She looked at him expectantly, not sure whether she wanted to hear about anything that would make him extend their stay more than absolutely necessary. "It is what you brought to it, Caroline. You have brought your light to my shadowy city, and ever since then, it has become a brighter place for me. And the astonishing thing is that I like it all the more for it. What does that tell you?"

"That you want to stay."

With a tender smile, he shook his head. "No. I have never felt bound to any place, not even to this one. It tells you, my beautiful woman, that I am very slowly beginning to see the allure of light over darkness. And even more importantly, it tells you that my home is wherever you are. Here, in Timbuktu or on Christmas Island. But let me ask you a question – just how unhappy are you really, Caroline?"

Everything inside her went soft at the concern and the hint of guilt in his voice. "I am always happy when I am with you, Niklaus, and I hope you can feel that when we are together." He nodded and ran a hand over her hair. "It's good to go to college, and I'm glad to have Silv. But I need more of you. So how about another compromise? We get to spend a little more time together and I will make a conscious effort to find something new to like about New Orleans every day."

He flashed his dimples and grinned. "I like it. So here is the deal, then. We will stay for the time being, but it will not be indefinitely. You will let me take care of the Marcel business and I am going to include Elijah to a greater extent so you and I have more time for each other. And I am truly sorry if I gave you the feeling of having neglected you. You can't believe how dreadfully I miss you whenever I am away from you, my Caroline."

She snuggled into his arms and buried her hands in his hair, pulling him close and pressing her cheek to his. "I actually can." All of a sudden, she remembered how he had tensed at the memory of the French song. "The name of that song… 'Ne Me Quitte Pas'… what does it mean?"

"Don't leave me," he whispered, and she could feel the emotion emanating from him. "That is what it means." He nudged her gently so he could look at her. "It was originally sung by Jacques Brel. He said it was not a love song, but a song about the cowardice of men."

"Niklaus, you are no coward. You have never been. That's one of the things I love about you, among a million others." She paused, then she kissed him tenderly. "I'm glad you're home."

Closing his eyes, he leaned his forehead against hers. "Ne me quitte pas." He paused, swallowing. "Don't ever take your love away from me, Caroline."

She kissed him for a very long while, savouring his taste, marveling in the softness of his lips against hers and the raw need behind his response. In moments like this, she knew he didn't care about kingdoms, plots or anything else. He was completely and utterly hers, wildly happy and content to be with her. If only there was some way to make him see that no realm, no elaborate plan and no territory conquest could ever put this look of total bliss and joy on his face! When he broke the kiss, he held her at arm's length and took her hands.

"I don't want anything to stand between us, my love. I could never bear the idea of a barrier growing between you and me, for whatever reason. Disagreements can never be avoided, but when it comes to something as substantial as your happiness, we have to speak about it immediately. Don't wait so long to tell me when something is bothering you, can we agree on that?"

Caroline nodded. "You will think about what I told you?" she asked, not certain why she needed reassurance. He had never gone back on his word before, at least not to her. But he had been right. The pursuit of power was deeply anchored within his character, and it would be a great challenge for him to shift his priorities. She had known who he was when she had fallen in love with him, and she had still known it the moment she had asked him to mark her for all eternity as well as on the day she had married him, and she had always prided herself on accepting him in his entirety. Love had brought out many hidden aspects of this personality, and it was amazing to watch him show restraint in situations that would have made him go berserk only a year ago, to see how he remained calm for much longer than he used to before finally snapping. Which he still did from time to time. She would need to be patient, just as Elijah was with him. Over a thousand years, no matter what atrocities Klaus had committed, his older brother had never lost faith in him, and there was a reason for that.

"Yes, my darling," he said softly, "I promise I will give it some very serious thought, and we will talk about it again very soon."

With a contented sigh, she gave him a gentle smile. "Good. Did I mention yet today that I love you?"

"Not nearly often enough. And did I mention that I spent the entire day yearning for the night to come so I could just hold you and tell you how much I missed you?"

With a mischievous grin, Caroline shook her head. "Sorry, I'm afraid I will have to make love to you about three times before we get to the whole cuddling business, so bear with me."

He raised a quizzical brow. "Is there a reason why it has to be three times exactly? Not that I am complaining, but I admit to being somewhat curious." He took a closer look at her face and pursed his lips. "All right, Caroline Mikaelson, what did you do?"

Desperately fighting to restrain herself from giggling, she pushed him down onto the couch and was on top of him in a blur, fiercely assaulting his lips and letting her hands run along his sides, searching for the smooth skin under his shirt. He had already found his way to her bare back, kissing her vehemently before he suddenly broke the heated encounter of their lips. His eyes narrowed playfully as he took her face in his hands.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Spill it, or I will keep my little surprise."

Her eyes lit up. "What surprise?" she asked excitedly.

"Uh-uh. Confess, or it shall never see the light of day."

"It will never see the light of day _after_ I confess, so I want it now!" she protested, making him chuckle at her panicky eyes.

"It can't be _that_ bad, can it, my love?" He grabbed her hand. "No, you have not sold your rings, so that is not it. Did you wreck the M6?"

Caroline giggled again. "Had I done that, I wouldn't even have bothered to come home again." He rolled his eyes and gave her a quick, tender kiss. "No, I'm afraid you will not only _not_ give me my surprise, you will also divorce me, stake me and throw me out of the house, although not necessarily in that order."

"Now I am genuinely intrigued," he chuckled, looking at her expectantly.

Fidgeting, she mumbled, "I might have… well, it is possible that I… invited Bekah, Elena and the Salvatores to visit for some time."

With a loud groan, he covered his face with his hands and shook his head in despair. "Please tell me you wrecked the M6! Tell me you sold yourself to the highest bidder at an auction in that brothel in the swamps! Anything but _that!"_

Now she started to laugh, hugging herself to him and kissing his neck. "We will have to talk about how you know anything about a brothel in the swamps, but that's beside the point right now. They will come to visit, but I promise to make it up to you," she purred in her most sensual voice and smiled when she felt him stir underneath her.

"You bet you will. Although I can't really imagine anything you could do to me that will make up for Damon bloody Salvatore under my roof," he scoffed lightheartedly.

Her voice lowered to a husky whisper when she replied, "Why don't you leave that to me?" She straightened and sat up, slowly beginning to unbutton her blouse. His eyes followed her every move, and her breath caught at feeling him harden. _Well, you're in for a treat, my love!_ In one fluid motion, she stood from the couch and undid the last few buttons, keeping the blouse from revealing anything. He sat and gazed at her, his eyes shining. And then his breathing stopped when she opened the blouse and let it fall to the floor.

She was wearing a golden bra made of two dragons held together by black satin ribbons. It revealed more than it covered, and it had been ridiculously expensive. The sales lady at La Perla had called it the Dragon Bra and explained it was the most exclusive piece they had ever sold. Caroline had been reluctant when she had first seen it on the hanger after she had asked for something daring and extravagant. But then she had tried it on, and despite the fact that it was incredibly uncomfortable, she felt wildly sexy in the damn thing. Judging by the way Klaus' jaw had all but dropped to the floor, the purchase had been well worth it after all.

"That," he managed to growl, "is outrageously provocative, Mrs. Mikaelson." He was in front of her in a flash, his tongue tracing the outline of one of the dragons. Now it was Caroline's turn to gasp. "And I believe you will be wearing it… and nothing else… for the remainder of the night. Gods, you are a siren, my love." He let his tongue slip beneath the little piece of the dragon that was covering her nipple, making her wish he would just tear off the damn bra and devour every inch of her skin. Then he rose and pulled her into a deep, passionate, scorching kiss that left them both panting. "But I forgot – there is something else you will be wearing with it after all."

Caroline felt his hands brush her neck, and a second later, there was a sudden cool sensation on the skin of her cleavage. She looked down curiously, and her mind stopped working. From a white gold necklace, a pear shaped blue diamond was dangling, exactly matching the shade of the gem on her engagement ring.

"Niklaus," she whispered, delicately touching the incredibly fiery stone that was reflecting the subdued study light in its countless facets, "are you crazy? What…"

"It looks divine on you, my darling, just as I knew it would." He kissed her fingers and looked at her, placing her hand on his heart the way he always did when his emotions washed to the surface like this. "This is my way of apologizing, Caroline, for having been away from you so often lately."

She stared at him in surprise. "So you did notice I was unhappy about that?" she murmured in wonder.

"Yes. Although I was not aware of the depth of your distress or the other circumstances that are hurting you, I have to admit that. But I know that I am not happy about being separated from you so much, and it was clear that you were missing me just as badly."

Gazing down at the amazing diamond again, she whispered, "It's extraordinary, Niklaus. So beautiful! But you know that it is you I want, more than any jewel in the world."

He closed his eyes and pulled her into his arms. It was incredible to see how sometime, he still struggled with believing that she really loved him like that. "I am sorry, my love. I will do better, I promise. Still, I do hope you feel inclined to accept my apology?"

With a nod, she buried her face in the curve of his shoulder. _My home._ After holding each other for a long moment, Klaus chuckled lightly. "But do not believe for one minute that this will exonerate you from the obligation of compensating me for the impending visit of the Mystic Falls posse."

Caroline was grinning broadly when she took a step back to look at him. It was one of the things she adored most about their relationship – the way they were both able to adapt to each other's moods within seconds. From fighting to banter to deep emotions to romance to playfulness. To passion.

"Ready when you are, Big Bad."

His finger moved to run over the skin revealed by the dragon.

"For you, always."


	6. Barflies

**Muchisimas gracias a España y América Latina! :)**

**Okay, a very special thanks to Pem today for that amazing and comprehensive review - and you'll be glad to hear I followed you advice on "my baby"! ;)**

**Today's chapter is a little shorter... still, please enjoy. And need I remind you that I honestly adore your reviews, dearies? :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE

BARFLIES

Klaus kept his word over the following days, trying to reduce his storm trooper hours to the times Caroline was attending her college lectures and delegating some of his obscure missions to Elijah. But he did not always succeed, and he was still gone rather often. Following her discussion with Klaus, she had had a lengthy conversation with her brother-in-law. As always, Elijah had been the voice of reason and temperance, explaining to her that his younger brother could be expected to have some trouble adjusting to his new priorities and that she should keep him on his toes. _"At the bottom of his heart," _Elijah had said, _"Niklaus knows what is the right thing for him to do. For you both. And he knows that the day will come when he has to make a choice. Trust me, sister – he will make the right choice. There might be some turbulences on the way, but do not lose your confidence. When the fog lifts, you are all that matters to him."_

This afternoon, her friends from Mystic Falls had finally arrived, and Caroline was overjoyed to see them all. As predicted, Klaus and Damon had started to bicker the minute they had laid eyes on each other, making Caroline and Elena grin broadly behind their men's backs. After dinner, the women had agreed to go out, and none of the men wanted to stay behind despite a hefty display of eye rolling. Klaus had suggested Rousseau's, one of Marcel's favourite haunts. Caroline knew he wanted to keep an eye on things, and even though she would have preferred Remy's, she didn't truly mind as long as he was with her.

Rousseau's was a big, crowded, noisy place, packed with Marcel's vampire minions and a number of unsuspecting humans. Jazz was blaring from the oversized speakers, and the atmosphere was gaudy and cheerful. When they entered the place and spotted Marcel surrounded by a group of claqueurs, Caroline noticed a flicker of something on Klaus' face, and she couldn't believe her eyes. It was envy. She grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face her. Cupping his cheek, she jerked her head in the direction of the boisterous group.

"He will never have this," she gestured between the two of them. "Not even close. And you have a _true_ family who loves you. Turn around and look at Marcel for a minute. Then tell me, Niklaus – is _that_ what you really want?"

Klaus gazed down at her for a moment with an unfathomable expression, then he did as she asked and watched Marcel and his flunkies for a while, never letting go of her. When he faced her again, he was smiling.

"You are very wise, my love. And I adore the way you know what I think from just one look at my face." He buried his hands in her hair and gazed into her eyes very intently. "And the answer is, no. It is not what I want, not anymore. It has been for a very long time, and I do suppose that old habits die hard. What I truly want is right here. You are the one who makes me whole, Caroline."

Everything around them seemed to just vanish as the butterflies paraded through her stomach. They stared at each other and were about to completely forget where they were when Damon's voice came up behind them.

"Guys, I don't mean to sound like a prude, but can you save the eye fuck for later? It's disgusting!"

Klaus lowered his head to place a kiss on her lips before he turned around. "Do I detect a tad of envy there, mate? Making a woman happy is a privilege for the truly gifted, but I feel magnanimous enough to drop a few hints to the clueless and the ignorant. All you have to do is ask."

Damon snorted and folded his arms over his chest. "Excuse me? Just because you have lived for a billion years does not mean you know the first thing about women. It is not about quantity but quality, Papa Doc."

A very broad grin split Klaus' face. "You will be in a position to know. But do not fret, lack of quantity is no longer considered a stigma these days. Or so I've heard."

Rolling her eyes and suppressing a giggle, Caroline left the two to their snapping and went to join the women at the bar. Rebekah had ordered a round of shots which was gone in a nanosecond. At the other end of the counter, Caroline could see Marcel flirting with the bartender, a rather pretty blonde human in her early twenties. The woman seemed to be flattered by his advances, although she didn't give the impression of being too overwhelmed. _Clever girl. Pick someone better, there are millions out there._ When Marcel left the counter, a few drinks in hand, the woman's gaze wandered over to linger on someone behind Caroline. She was curious to see who had caught the bartender's fancy and inconspicuously turned around to see the girl was looking at none other than Klaus who was still heatedly bickering with the older Salvatore brother. Caroline's eyes narrowed. _Over my already dead body, missy!_

"Care, what is it?" Elena asked curiously, noticing her black scowl.

She motioned towards the bartender. "That bitch is staring at Klaus," she growled, murder in her eyes. Elena, Rebekah and Silv turned to look at the woman, then back at Caroline. With a light grin, Silv covered her hand with hers.

"If anyone on this planet has no reason to worry about her man tasting forbidden fruit, it is you. Klaus has no idea other women even exist," she said soothingly.

Rebekah nodded vehemently. "Much as I hate to even notice, but my brother has spent the last minutes multitasking – simultaneously shouting at Damon and ogling your ass!"

All of them chuckled, and Caroline started to feel better. She cast another quick look at Klaus, indeed catching her husband staring at her hungrily. Winking at him, she turned back to her family, not without inconspicuously looking at the bartender once more. The woman's eyes were still on Klaus. _Not that I blame her._ "She so much as puts one finger on him and I will kick her freaking butt all the way to Cuba!"

Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate. Who was texting her now?

**_You are incredibly adorable when you are jealous, my love._**

Shaking her head in amusement, she decided not to turn around and look at him.

**You weren't supposed to notice. Just go back to staring at my butt, you pervert. Okay, I'll rephrase. You sweet and damn sexy pervert.**

**_Happy to. And you can already start thinking about what I am going to be doing to said backside later tonight. _**

Now she did turn around, biting her lip and giving him a lewd look. If he was going to make her suffer – well, two could play at this game!

**Will that be before or after you thrash under me, begging me not to stop practicing my ****_French_****?**

He gave her a lopsided grin, flashing his dimples.

**_Right after I repeat what I did to you this morning. I just loved the way you pleaded with me to stop… not to stop… to stop… never to stop again… _**

"Why are you suddenly turning vermilion?" Elena demanded, shoving another shot glass into her hand.

Silv scrutinized Caroline's face and the mobile in her hand, then she looked over to where Klaus was standing and smirked. "She is making sure the hooks she's got in her man are fixed. But it would seem Klaus is giving her a taste of her own medicine."

"Oh shut up," Caroline mumbled, still flaming red at the memory of the heated morning hours. Her mouth on him… while his mouth was on her… oh God, it had been insanely hot! She noticed him watching her, and she knew he could see exactly where her thoughts were right now. _A taste of my own medicine? Here you go, my Niklaus!_

**Look at me. I will close my eyes in a minute. When I do, you will know that right now, in my head, I am coming for you like I did this morning. **

She lowered the phone and stared straight into his face. Then she slowly closed her eyes and relived the moment her climax had stormed all through her and how he had not been able to stop moaning until it had been over. Her lips parted slightly and she inconspicuously reached for the counter to steady herself. A second later, she opened her eyes again to find him gone. In the very same instant, her phone vibrated.

**_Outside. Now._**

"Be right back," she muttered, quickly downing the shot and making her way towards the door, ignoring the jabs from the others. Her stomach was contracting, and the butterflies were going ballistic inside her. The minute she stepped outside, she was pulled into a sideways alley and slammed against the wall.

"How can you do that to me in a bar full of people when I won't be able to touch you for hours?" Klaus growled, but she could hear the humour in his voice and saw the smile twinkling in his eyes.

"Hey, I didn't start this," she giggled. "Besides, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

His mouth assaulted hers greedily, and for a few minutes, they both gave themselves over to their insatiable hunger for each other. Then Klaus gradually slowed their heated kissing and tenderly cupped her face.

"Did I ever tell you just how perfect you are for me, my beautiful love?"

Caroline smiled and silently touched his Signum.

* * *

They returned inside to a surprising sight. Elijah was standing next to the bar, his back to them, arms crossed and completely rigid. Caroline had never seen him so tense, and she felt Klaus instinctively react to his brother's stance. His hand was on her arm and he took one step ahead so he was covering her. It turned out to be unnecessary. Elijah's apprehension was not caused by an enemy.

Marcel, who for some reason was studiously ignoring them when he had always made a point of playing the charming, generous buddy as soon as he laid eyes on Klaus or Elijah, had moved on to the dance floor, a bottle of Tequila in his hand, surrounded by his groupies and… _Kol._ In addition to the two girls in his arms, the youngest Mikaelson brother was also holding a bottle, cheering on Marcel who was now displaying some daring dance moves that involved throwing the Tequila bottle around between turns and dips. Caroline felt weirdly reminded of Bryan Brown and Tom Cruise in 'Cocktail'. Casting a cautious look to her right, she saw that Klaus' face had turned to stone. He took a step forward when Elijah's hand shot out to stop him. _Crazy. He didn't even have to turn around. Those brothers are spooky at times._

But Klaus wouldn't have been Klaus if the sight of his younger sibling partying with the would-be king of New Orleans hadn't immediately ruffled his feathers. He removed Elijah's hand from his arm and gritted his teeth. Caroline cast a worried glance over at her family. Silv and Rebekah looked equally concerned while Damon poured himself another drink and settled on his bar stool to enjoy the show. Both Stefan and Elena gazed at Caroline, apparently trying to assess the gravity of the situation. When Marcel clapped Kol on the shoulder and the two of them clanked their bottles, Klaus seemed to reach his boiling point. To Caroline, it felt like she could almost read his thoughts on his face. Kol was _his _ much they fought, however estranged they grew – no one had a right to take his brother from him. And even less would he tolerate Kol siding with the enemy. With a few determined steps, he made his way to the middle of the dance floor, completely slighting Marcel. He had eyes only for his brother, planting himself in front of his younger sibling and folding his arms across his chest.

"Look at what the cat dragged in. Found yourself some playmates, have you, brother?" He was smiling, but everyone including Kol knew better than to trust that pleasant face.

"Klaus," Marcel's voice boomed over the music, "it's good to see you, man! How about a drink to celebrate all our families being together tonight?"

Not taking his eyes off Kol, Klaus replied, "I have some unfinished business with _my_ family, Marcel. So why don't you resume your display of… acrobatics and leave us to it?"

A sudden wave of deep fear flashed through Caroline at the sight of the brief expression of burning hatred on Marcel's face. He was back in command of himself immediately, but she had seen it clearly.

"There was a time when I was your _only_ family, Klaus. You seem to have forgotten all about that," he gritted out through clenched teeth. Now the Original did turn around, facing Marcel with a condescending sneer.

"Oh, I am sorry to be a cause for severe disappointment, but you, my friend, were never a part of my family. You were a useful companion for a while, and we admittedly did have a few entertaining years. But if there is one thing you never were to me, it is family. So kindly go and celebrate with _your_ family and leave mine for me to deal with."

He hadn't yet turned back around when Kol attacked him out of the blue. He had the element of surprise on his side, but Klaus was much faster and the far more experienced fighter. He ducked under his brother's arm, did a lightning fast turn and threw his fist into Kol's face with all his might. The younger Mikaelson stumbled backwards but found his balance again immediately. With an outcry, he launched himself at his older brother and managed to ram his knee into Klaus' stomach, making him huff. Caroline flinched and took a step forward, but Silv held her back.

"Let them fight it out. I think they need that." Caroline looked at her doubtfully but she halted and stared at the fighting brothers, not knowing what to do. Elijah had inconspicuously begun to compel the present humans, not bothering to step in between his siblings. He was used to seeing them fight, so this was nothing out of the ordinary for him, although it was clear he would have preferred them to duke it out in private.

The fight went on for a while but it was blatantly obvious that Klaus could have defeated Kol in the blink of an eye, had he truly wanted to. Kol seemed to notice, but it did nothing to calm him down. On the contrary, it was making him ever more aggressive and he lunged blindly at Klaus, not bothering to consider his moves in advance. At some point, Klaus seemed to tire of the fight and smashed his younger brother into the wall, leaving a massive dent and holding Kol by the throat.

"Kutabare!" the younger Original hissed at his brother. "Shinjimae!"

Caroline's eyes widened. "What did he say?" she whispered to no one in particular. Elijah had just returned to them and shook his head in exasperation.

"It is Japanese. He told Niklaus to go to hell and to drop dead."

With a ghostly smile, Klaus replied evenly, "Shini dekinai. Fumetsu da yo."

"I cannot die. I am immortal," Elijah translated. "They tend to speak Japanese when they want to insult each other in public. And they are beginning to get on my nerves, if I am to be perfectly honest."

Without a warning, Klaus' hand was on Kol's heart and his fingers began to graze his brother's skin. "Ima nani, otouto?" he asked viciously.

"And now what, little brother?" Elijah supplied. Caroline stared at the two brothers for another moment before she made a split-second decision. In a blur, she was standing next to them, putting a hand on Klaus' arm.

"Niklaus. He is your brother. Let go. Please." Her eyes were soft when she looked at Klaus, telling him she understood his anger and at the same time pleading with him to be the rational one. He gazed down at her, his eyes still blazing with rage, but she felt his arm relax infinitesimally.

"I am not doing this for you," he snapped at Kol, his hand now back at his younger sibling's throat. "I would think it best for everyone involved if you left town for a while. As I said the other day – do whatever you want, but do not do it here, Kol."

He released his brother from his iron hold and took a step back, taking Caroline's hand. She stood looking at her brother-in-law for a moment, trying to convey to him that she would speak to Klaus. 'It'll be okay,' she mouthed and nodded at Kol before following Klaus back to the bar where the rest of the family was waiting. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Marcel staring at her with a very thoughtful, calculating expression. _What the heck is he looking at? _Damon raised his glass when they had reached the group.

"The show wasn't too bad, although I would have expected some more bloodshed. Blondie, why the heck did you stop him?"

Elena rolled his eyes and gestured towards him and Stefan, muttering, "For the same reason I have constantly been keeping the two of you from killing each other back in the good old days."

Everyone was openly staring at them now. Kol had flashed off through the back door, not before giving his brother a vengeful look, and Marcel's stare was positively creeping Caroline out. It was not the hatred she had seen before, but a cool, sly gaze, and it still lingered on her. She seriously asked herself how there could have ever been anything remotely resembling friendship between Klaus and his former protégé. Elijah cast one quick look around the still crowded room and shrugged.

"We had probably better change locations. I cannot imagine we would be spending an overly pleasant evening in this establishment tonight."

Klaus nodded, his arm around Caroline's waist, and jerked his head towards the door. "Let us leave." When they had reached the exit, he turned around and glared at Marcel for a long moment. Then he lifted a corner of his mouth and gave the younger vampire a disdainful sneer, inclining his head in a mocking bow. 'Your Majesty,' he mouthed before he turned and left.

_I have a feeling that this doesn't really help, Niklaus._

* * *

It was almost morning when they returned from Remy's. The night had been fun once they had left Marcel's turf, although some of his cronies had been at the Spaniard's bar, watching them from a remote corner table and texting continuously. Klaus had been relatively quiet, only occasionally responding to Damon's ribbing, and more than once, Caroline had watched a hint of sadness cross his face. She understood that it was mostly about Kol, although she was quite sure his brother not the only reason for Klaus' distress.

She was sitting on the bed now, leaning against the headboard and thoughtfully playing with the hem of a pillow. Her mind kept wandering back to the events that had unfolded earlier that night. Ever since she had first met Marcel, she had been wondering what on Earth Klaus had ever seen in the guy. She supposed it had had something to do with Klaus' loneliness, and maybe Marcel had been able to relieve that feeling for a while.

Klaus emerged from the bathroom, wearing… _not too many clothes… oh God, will I ever learn to keep myself in check when I see him naked?_ She tried to keep her eyes on anything but his lean, tempting body and to block out his intoxicating scent as much as possible. Not that it really _was_ possible. She saw him suppress a smile at her reaction, and it made her grin. They both adored being addicted to each other's body. And soul. But she really wanted to ask him about Marcel now, so anything else would have to wait – and as always, Klaus sensed her mood. He grabbed a pair of boxers right before she almost gave in to her cravings and jumped his bones.

"What is on your mind, my love?" he inquired while he joined her on the bed, pulling her into his arms and burying his face in the curve of her shoulder for a moment, inhaling her scent and brushing his lips over her skin.

With a light shiver, she ran a hand through his hair and tried to concentrate. Which was not an easy task, feeling his skin on hers and being engulfed by his warmth. "I've met Marcel many times by now, and I still haven't figured out how you two became friends. I know you saw something in him at some point, but I really, really don't like the guy, and I find it hard to imagine what it was."

Smiling, he gathered her closer and kissed her briefly, his soft lips tenderly tracing hers. "You will be delighted to hear that Elijah has shared your feelings from the very first moment he set eyes on Marcel. He disliked him instantly, and I will have to admit that in this case, his instincts seem to have been somewhat more reliable than mine. Back then, I dismissed my brother as being snobby, and I honestly believed Marcel had the potential to become a loyal partner in crime. I had seen many who had come from the gutter turn into men to be reckoned with, and that is what I hoped for when I first happened across Marcel in 1809. And for a while, it seemed that I had struck gold. The day I met him, he was about to become dinner…"


	7. From the Gutter to the Glory

**Çok teşekkür ederim Türkiye! :)**

**As always, a big thanks to the guest reviewers (Justine - thank you again!). **

**Hope you'll enjoy the new chapter! :)  
**

**Oh, and incidentally - the Dragon Bra actually exists! ;)))**

* * *

CHAPTER SIX

FROM THE GUTTER TO THE GLORY

NEW ORLEANS, 1809

_I dismounted my horse, tying the reins to a tree in front of the Government Building, and gazed around myself in amazement. My voyage to the Old World had taken longer than expected and it was the first time in nearly two years that I returned to my town, therefore the changes took me by surprise. The settlement had been considerably expanded again, thanks to a small but steady flow of immigrants of all cultures and nationalities. I had received regular reports on the town's progress, but seeing the amplifications with my own eyes was very different from merely reading about them. After forty-five years as a French colony, the city now called New Orleans had been ceded to the Spanish Empire. Only eight years ago, it had been reverted to the reign of the French, as I had not been satisfied with the development under the Spanish influence and had therefore taken appropriate measures behind the scenes to ensure a prosperous growth._

_Even Elijah had had to admit that my ambitious project had turned out to be a raving success. New Orleans had become a major port, playing a vital role in the import and export business of all territories adjacent to the Mississippi river as well as the Atlantic slave trade. The city was thriving, and in addition to the ever-growing human population, it had become the world's inofficial capital of the supernatural, home to vampires, witches, warlocks and werewolves of all shades. _

_I smiled at the memory of the day Elijah finally acknowledged he had lost the wager we had made back in 1718. My brother had honoured his debt and stolen Baldung's 'Eve, the Serpent and Death', although I had had to be patient for a while. Elijah had insisted on replacing the original artwork with a duplicate, and after a long and heated debate, I had agreed to forge the painting. I would never have admitted to it, but I had actually been somewhat flattered that Elijah thought highly enough of my talents to allow me to copy the piece myself. Once the original painting was in my possession, I had repeatedly spent hours just gazing at it, taking in all the details. Something about it had struck a deeply hidden chord inside me. The work was utterly expressive and, in my view, highly erotic. It depicted a beautiful, nude Eve, holding an apple, grasping the tail of a serpent while casting a hooded yet provocative glance at a decayed Adam who represented Death. Whenever I looked at it, I could not escape the fascinating idea of a creature of light… together with me, the incarnation of darkness. I knew no such woman could ever be persuaded to stay at my side, but the thought had made its way into the back of my mind and would not go away. _

_Dismissing myself as a sentimental fool, I headed towards the little side alley off the main road. There was no place like my old acquaintance Remy's shadowy establishment to gather all the news on the recent developments within the ever-growing supernatural community. Everyone visited Remy's sooner or later, and the Spaniard was habitually very well connected. He had arrived in New Orleans not long after the city had been founded and I had been very receptive to the idea of a tavern run by a vampire. However, Remy had insisted on not being drawn into any conflicts and supporting no one, which I had agreed to only very reluctantly. I did not like the idea of someone as well-informed as Remy not being my ally, and I had been watching the Spaniard closely over the years, grudgingly admitting that his neutrality had been exemplary._

_As I approached the alley, I heard the typical noises of a struggle. Someone was hunting, and by the sound of it, the human prey was putting up a very respectable resistance. I flashed into the shadows of the alley and saw the pair immediately, recognizing Gabriel, a vampire who usually preyed on the lost and fallen who inhabited or deliberately sought out the remote corners of the swamps, and he usually never surfaced even at the outer rims of civilization. Gabriel was as barbaric as the slough he lived in, a wild animal reminding me more of some archaic monster than of someone who had once been human. Out of curiosity, I had once attempted to find out who had actually turned someone like him into an immortal, but Gabriel was not overly loquacious and I was not interested enough to conduct a deeper inquiry. _

_He was preying on a young black man, tall, muscular and seemingly strong for a human. The lad did not stand a chance, and he appeared to have understood that, but he fought incessantly. His moves were relatively fast and there was a recklessness about him that I recognized. I cocked my head and watched for another second until, on a sudden whim, I flashed forward and pulled Gabriel away from his victim, throwing him into the alley wall. He scrambled to his feet, ready to attack when he recognized me and backed down, a hint of fear in his eyes._

_"Well, well, Gabriel. I never expected to find you so far away from your little hellhole in the swamps. What brings you here?" I asked with a cutting edge to my voice. I despised everything primitive, crass and ugly, I always had, and Gabriel qualified on all three accounts. _

_"I… ah… I wanted to speak with Remy," he stuttered._

_"Is that so. And what, pray tell, would someone like you have to discuss with Remy?"_

_"There are rumours about new witches settling in the swamp. I want to know where."_

_Gods, Gabriel repelled me more than he ever had. Not only was he a disgusting creature, I also knew he had a tendency towards raping his female victims before – or while – feeding on them, and he did not differentiate between humans, witches or whatever else. I gave him a pleasant smile and saw him retreat another step. His instincts seemed to still be intact. "I do not see how that is any of your concern anymore," I said before I slammed him into the mural and tore his heart out of his chest._

_Hearing a sound behind me, I turned around to see the human watching the scene. He didn't seem overly surprised or frightened, although his eyes widened at the sight of Gabriel's heart in my hand. I tossed it over my shoulder and pulled a handkerchief from my pocket, wiping the blood off my hand._

_"You should pick your company more carefully," I remarked dryly._

_"I was not given much of a choice. Are you better company, then?"_

_I chuckled. "Probably not. Although I would like to think of myself as somewhat more civilized. You are not easily frightened, it would seem."_

_"No," he replied, "why would I be? There are dangers looming everywhere, every day, and I do not spend my time fretting over them. May I ask you a question?"_

_"By all means."_

_"What did he mean when he spoke of 'witches'? And how could you tear out his heart with your bare hand?"_

_I inclined my head, raising a brow and grinning. "That is two questions, and I would have to kill you once I answer them."_

_He grinned back at me with a certain cockiness. "Who knows? I might be curious enough to take my chances."_

_The lad was definitely no coward, and I liked that. I would have to make a decision at some point whether to compel or kill him, but my interest was piqued for the moment. I appreciated the fearless, and there was something about him that reminded me of myself, or rather, the part of me I had left behind so many centuries ago. Although my instincts told me that this one was far more ruthless than I had been in my distant human days. I nodded and gestured towards the door that led to Remy's._

_"Drink?"_

_"I have no money."_

_I had suspected as much. Many free men of colour had come to New Orleans, most of them from Sainte Domingue, or rather the part that was now known as Haiti. They were not slaves, but their freedom came at a price. No one would employ them when there was the option of having an infinite number of slaves working for no pay, so most of them roamed the lands, stole and ransacked without any prospects of ever escaping that vicious circle._

_"I may be able to afford two drinks. What is your name?"_

_He smirked. "Marcel."_

_"I am Klaus."_

_"Do you think you could afford a meal as well, Klaus?" he grinned, and there was that certain imperiousness again. _

_"You should learn not to push your luck, lad, and appreciate what you are being offered."_

_The tavern was rather crowded that night. I could detect no major changes since my last visit, so it seemed that Remy's business was still thriving. The Spaniard looked up when we entered the room, his eyes widening in surprise._

_"Klaus. It take it you have successfully destroyed Europe?" he asked with a grin. _

_"You know me," I replied, shaking his outstretched hand. "But I left most of Spain intact, as I feared I would otherwise not be served any more wine in your establishment."_

_Remy laughed, then his gaze fell on Marcel. "A human?" he asked with a frown. "Who is he?"_

_"Do not worry. He is no one." I saw a flash of anger cross the lad's face and smiled. So he was ambitious. He wanted to be someone, he wanted to matter. Hm. He might come in handy after all. "Bring us some wine, Remy, if you please. And…" I looked at Marcel and smirked very condescendingly, "a meal for the starving young man here."_

_Remy nodded and left. It was obvious that Marcel hated being treated like a beggar, which I could very much relate to. Not that anyone had ever dared to try, but I very clearly remembered the way my stepfather had always managed to make me feel like vermin, and the memory was not a pleasant one. Still, the lad needed to know his place. Cockiness was all well and fine, but not with me. I observed how closely he scrutinized the place and the other patrons. There was something very systematic and analytical about the way he took in his surroundings. And something utterly lewd about how he stared at the two witches who had just sat down at the neighbouring table. A ladies' man, it would seem. Another trait I could relate to. _

_"Well then, Marcel," I inquired when Remy had brought the wine, "how is it you spend your days, other than finding yourself in the wrong company at the wrong time?"_

_He greedily downed his wine, immediately refilling his cup. "I attempt to survive, which is not always a simple endeavour. A man needs to eat and find himself a place to rest his head at night."_

_"Something tells me you find neither of those tasks a true hardship. Food can always be stolen, and judging by the way those two," I jerked my head towards the witches, "seem to have caught your eye almost instantly, there is always a wench willing to allow your head to rest on her pillow. Am I right?"_

_"You are indeed," he replied, a certain pride colouring his tone. "Although one has to be adjustable in one's choice of… host." He eyed me speculatively, and I raised a brow. Young Marcel's carnal preferences were apparently not limited to one gender. Certainly nothing I was inclined to, but to each their own – I had lived way too long to be even mildly surprised. A penchant for both men and women was far more widespread than anyone would have suspected, and I smiled at how many would be shocked at the sheer number of historical personalities who actually fell into that category. With a light grin, I took a sip of my wine and shook my head._

_"Most definitely not interested. Can you read and write?"_

_"No."_

_"Have you learned to fight?"_

_"I know how to use a dagger."_

_"That is always helpful," I chuckled. "Anything else?"_

_The meal had arrived, some kind of stew by the looks of it, and Marcel began to unceremoniously wolf it down. In between bites, he nodded. "I do throw a mean punch, I am fast and I am strong."_

_"What about firearms?" I demanded, suspecting he had never had an opportunity to learn how to use one. And I was right. He shook his head, munching on his stew and washing down the food with big gulps of wine. I leaned back in my chair, watching him. He was a raw diamond, unpolished, rough and boorish, but he was also shrewd, ruthless and charismatic. I sensed a project. There was not much more to do for the city at this point. New Orleans was developing beautifully and very little intervention was required, so I needed a new endeavour. Thoughtfully stroking my chin, I made a spontaneous decision. With the right guidance and education, the lad showed all the potential of becoming a useful minion and comrade. I leaned forward._

_"Are you up to a little challenge, Marcel?" I asked when he had finally finished his meal. He eyed me suspiciously._

_"What did you have in mind?"_

_I pointed at the two witches who were just leaving. "A group of their… friends will be arriving in the area very soon. They are very secretive and exceedingly cautious. Find out where they will be settling and what their intentions are. Report to me until noon tomorrow."_

_His eyes narrowed. "And why would I do that?" he asked sharply. "What would I stand to gain?"_

_"A very valid question," I conceded. "Should you succeed, I will offer you something you could not have imagined in your wildest dreams. Strength, speed, heightened senses, almost unlimited power. You will be answering only to me. You will no longer be in need of stealing food or… _serving_ anyone for a place to sleep."_

_He looked at me, and for the first time since I had met him, there was something other than haughtiness in his eyes. It was an emotion I was very well acquainted with. Longing. Longing for power, companionship, meaning. _

_"And what if I fail?" he asked evenly. I had a feeling he already knew the answer._

_I smiled pleasantly. "If you fail, you will die."_

_There was a long moment of silence before he nodded and rose. "It will be simple enough. Noon tomorrow. Where will I find you?"_

_"I will find you." He started to head towards the door when I stopped him. "As you believe the task to be so simple, why do I not make it more appealing? In addition to the requested information, you will also bed the ladies. Both of them. Together. Before noon."_

_Now his brows rose and a wide, confident grin split his face. "Consider it done." He turned around and left the tavern._

_I sensed Remy standing behind me. "Wager?" I asked casually. _

_"That would not be very fair to you, Klaus. We all know that those two are not at all interested in the male sex. But I will happily take your money anyway. Shall we say five Eagles?"_

_"Done."_

* * *

"And I did win my bet," Klaus grinned. "Until this day, I do not have the faintest idea how Marcel lured those two witches into his bed. Or rather, his way into theirs. I know he did not force them, for I followed him later that night to see for myself how he was faring. You can imagine my surprise as I cast a quick look through the window of the witches' little house to see he was indeed… succeeding. He also obtained the information I had tasked him with gathering. So the next day, I explained to him what I was and offered to turn him, which he accepted without hesitation."

Caroline cocked her head and asked, "Would you really have killed him had he failed?"

"Yes," Klaus replied, "it was not an empty threat. I saw something in him from the very start, that is true, and I wanted proof that Marcel could deliver under pressure. That he would be able to focus even when he feared for his life. But I would not have shown mercy had he failed. He did not, though, and he turned out to be very useful to me over many years."

She gently caressed his cheek with her knuckles and saw his eyes close. It was so beautiful to see how he enjoyed being with her above everything else and how her touch always got to him. "But there was more to him than just his being useful. You liked him," she stated, and it was not a question.

Leaning into her soft touch, he nodded without opening his eyes. "Yes, my love. I did grow to like him. Introducing him to the world of the supernatural, teaching him how to use his newfound powers, giving him some education and culture was a task that kept me occupied, and Marcel was a fast learner. What he lacked in intelligence he made up for in shrewdness and determination. His instincts were very sharp, which was what had kept him alive during his human days. He is one of those who were born to become vampires, embracing his nature to the fullest, which was something I truly appreciated during those days. We had some very wild years, and I thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie. I do not believe you will be very keen on learning any details, so…"

"If those details concern you, then yes. I want to know, Klaus. I have always told you I love you just the way you are, and that includes my accepting your past as you lived it. Which does not mean I have to like it, but it made you who you are. Tell me," Caroline said firmly. "I said it once, and I'll say it again – you will never scare me off."

Klaus' lips found hers and his hands tenderly moved over her face. She gave a very soft moan when she felt his tongue trace her lower lip before diving in to fully explore her mouth, meeting her own eager tongue for a sweet, sensual battle. They were both breathing a little faster when he finally pulled back and embraced her tightly.

"Very well, my darling. You could safely say that there was little we left out during those times. I taught him to feed without killing his prey, but he did not care very much about the fate of those he hunted, and to be perfectly honest, neither did I. The number of our victims, whether they died or survived, was staggeringly high. You will have experienced during your very early bunny diet days with Salvatore Junior that hunting in company has a different dynamic to it than preying on your victims by yourself. That is even truer for hunting humans. It is the challenge of being faster, smarter and more successful than the other vampire, and even though I had nothing to prove to either Marcel or myself, it still spurred me on. But hunting was of course not our only indulgence," he added, kissing her hair and drawing her deeper into his arms. Caroline braced for what was to come. She had asked for it, so she would listen.

"We had some sort of standing wager when it came to seducing women. It was an amazingly entertaining game at the time, especially when it concerned women of rank who were generally somewhat more of a challenge than the wenches found in New Orleans and surroundings. As part of his _education_, I took Marcel to New York, Chicago and other relatively big cities in order to teach him how to move in society. And it was there where we really raised the stakes of the game." He was silent for a moment, obviously not sure whether to continue. Caroline squeezed his hand and snuggled into his chest.

"There was a gentlemen's agreement not to use compulsion, and neither of us did during those times. No woman was safe from our pursuit – they were married, widowed, virginal, promiscuous, old, young, human, vampire, witch… we had them all. I remember there was even the occasional nun among them. Marcel developed a special penchant for witches at the time, as they have some particular kind of energy about them that apparently is a major turn-on for him. Interestingly enough, he seems to be holding the same kind of allure for the witches – they succumb to him by the dozen, to this day, and no one, not even Marcel himself, understands why. Probably one of nature's little caprices. Be that as it may, a welcome side benefit of all the erotic escapades was the steady flow of information. A considerable number of the women we bedded were married to influential men, so I obtained many an insight I would not have stumbled across otherwise. And with Marcel's… _flexibility_ when it came to bed partners, he even received some pieces of information firsthand."

Caroline cleared her throat. Even after so many months at his side, in his heart and in his bed, she still couldn't help the jealousy that plagued her when she thought of her man in the arms of another woman, no matter if it had been hundreds of years ago. She just hated it. And there was also something else she needed to know.

"So… this is kind of an awkward question… but have you ever…?" She couldn't really finish the sentence, hoping he wouldn't see her flaming red face.

Klaus gave a quiet chuckle. "Slept with a man?" he asked gently. She just nodded. "No, my love, I have not, and I have never been tempted. There has been the occasional man over the centuries to make a pass at me, admittedly. But it is quite simply not to my taste."

Caroline sighed with relief. Thinking of the entire female population on the planet as competition was hard enough without having to add the male half as well. But she had always liked how he never judged any sexual preferences, in anyone, and he did not seem to have been the least bit offended by the men who had apparently hit on him. She supposed thinking and talking about these things got easier over the years, especially at the side of someone as free-spirited as Klaus. She was already noticing the changes in herself – only months ago, she would have been really shocked at the revelation that Marcel was bisexual, and she would never have been able to look him straight in the eyes at their next encounter without blushing. But the way Klaus perceived being gay or bisexual as completely and utterly natural as heterosexuality made her realize how pointless it was to be shocked or even surprised at it.

"You seem to have gotten along really well," she remarked, "but something must have gone wrong at some point. What was it then?"

Klaus nodded and kissed her hair. "You know I do not usually take kindly to being defied or challenged."

Caroline snorted. "That's putting it very mildly, Ivan the Terrible," she grinned.

"Who incidentally was bested by Peter the Great in the field of being terrible many years later," he retorted with a chuckle, pulling on her hair before he continued. "Be that as it may, after a few decades of comradeship, Marcel began to see himself as my equal – I had the suspicion that he even thought himself superior, and will not come as a surprise to you that I honestly did not like that in the least. He started to defy me at every opportunity, questioning my plans and actions. That in itself was considerably getting on my nerves, but then something happened that made me renounce the friendship completely. Marcel had asked me to give him responsibility for New Orleans. He had proven himself a capable second in command over many years, so I conceded, believing the authority and the task of continuing to build a functioning supernatural community would bring him some more maturity and get him to overcome the phase of defiance. Just recently returned from lengthy travels abroad, little did I know that he had met a witch who had promised him that she had found a way to help him overthrow me and reverse our roles. Marcel was to become king of the mountain while I was going to be his subordinate. He had apparently been building up a very strong envy over the years, despising how everyone knelt to me and to my family and treated him like any other vampire."

Klaus shook his head, a light grin playing around his lips. "His only problem was that overthrowing me is not quite that simple. It requires a little more than a young, ambitious vampire and an infatuated witch. Always one step ahead. I could have killed him in the blink of an eye, but I decided otherwise. I wanted him humiliated. Hence I first set out to bring the witch in question onto my side. Marcel had put her on vervain, so compulsion was not possible. Instead, I settled for the old-fashioned way – I seduced her, promising her a world of love, knowledge and power, and it would seem my seductive skills were somewhat superior to his."

"I have no doubt whatsoever," Caroline murmured coolly, making him give a soft chuckle and tighten his arms around her.

"Then I had the witch set a trap for him. She made him believe she was performing the ritual necessary to give him the power to subdue me when in reality, she did nothing but conjure a little smoke. Not that the spell she had originally planned to perform would have worked – she greatly overestimated her abilities. Marcel sought me out at my house with the purpose of taking over everything that was mine – status, property and minions. I knew he was still grateful to me to some extent for having given him immortality, an education and a perspective in life, but he wanted to see me subjugated. It took me about one second to have him tied up in vervained ropes, and I have to admit that the stupefaction on his face was priceless. I held him captive for two weeks, bleeding him out of vervain and starving him. He received neither blood nor human food while I fed in front of him every day, dumping the bleeding humans at his feet so the smell of blood would never leave his senses. At the end of the second week he was a mere wreck, begging for my forgiveness, pledging his allegiance to me and offering his eternal servitude. I did not accept, but in a rare moment of sentimentality, I decided not to kill him. To this day, I am not certain it was the right thing to do, but at the time, something kept me from ending him, although I felt the loss of comradeship and loyalty very acutely. I ordered him to leave New Orleans and the country for a hundred years at the very least and to stay below my radar, so to speak. He complied. I did not hear from him for more than a century, but the minute his exile time was over, he was back in New Orleans. Relying on what I had taught him over the years, he established himself as the city's ruler in a relatively short time period, and everyone has been answering to him ever since. Although I have observed that he has become somewhat too relaxed, trusting the fact that no one would ever dare to question his status. When you rule, and it does not matter whether we are speaking of a country, a corporation or a city, you can never truly relax. Someone always has a dagger at the ready to backstab you."

Caroline was silent for a while, stroking his hands and inhaling his bewitching scent. "Do you believe he has found a new way to subjugate you? Or what is it he planning?"

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "He is working on something, and I will find out what it is. This time, though, I will not show the mercy I bestowed on him back then, you need to be clear about that, my love."

"Will you be sorry to put him down?" Caroline asked cautiously.

He considered her question for a moment, then he shook his head. "Not anymore. Our days of camaraderie are long gone, and whatever bond existed between us has been thoroughly severed. If he makes one move against the family, or against me for that matter, I will kill him without blinking."

"Good. I wouldn't want you to suffer over killing a friend, Niklaus."

Klaus sighed. "I am not sure he ever truly was."


	8. Shenanigans

**Tack så mycket Sverige! :)**

**I decided to post two chapters today; after I did that a couple of times at the early stages of uploading Dungeons, I actually vowed to myself I would not do it again because it cost me so many lovely reviews, but as Chapter 8 is rather short, I will make one last exception. ;)**

**Thanks to everyone who is taking the time to read, review, favourite, follow... please do continue to make me happy, guys, it's just amazing! :)**

******Flashback time again now. When Elijah met Silv...  
**

**XX**

**P.S.: There might be some drama coming up tomorrow... ;)**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

SHENANIGANS

The next morning, the women found themselves alone in the house. Klaus had gone off to whatever today's mission was, Elijah was meeting some finance guy and the Salvatore brothers had decided on an early morning visit to Remy's. Now the four of them were gathered in the kitchen over coffee, blood bags and bagels, discussing last night's events. Rebekah explained that ever since they had come of age, Klaus and Kol had been constantly clashing over almost everything. Kol had always been trying to find his place among the brothers, but with the roles of the tyrant ruler and the controlled, appeasing éminence grise already cast, he hadn't found a niche for himself to this day.

"The funny thing is," she sighed, "that Nik and Kol have much more in common than they would ever care to admit. They are stubborn, hot-headed, impulsive and can be downright cruel. On the upside, both of them care very deeply _when _they care, they can be fun, adventurous and life with them is never dull. It is just that I simply can't imagine that after a thousand years of rivalry and fighting, they will ever find a way to just be brothers. Nik and Elijah did, but then their relationship has always been a different one."

Caroline took a sip of her blood and smiled at her sister-in-law. "I don't want to pretend to know them as well as you do, Bekah, but I think there is some hope. After what happened in France, when Kol learned about Klaus and Henrik, he didn't provoke Klaus for ages. He treated him the way he usually treats Elijah, so maybe if we wait for another thousand years, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel."

Eyeing the choice of bagels on the large plate, Rebekah finally settled for cinnamon raisin and loaded a hefty helping of cream cheese onto one half. "Kol was in shock, as was I. I still can't wrap my head around what my father did to them, Henrik especially. And Nik sitting through all that torture, pretending to be immobilized… I think that apart from the shock, that was what impressed Kol the most, and he saw Nik differently for a while. He has always admired him, ever since he was a little boy, and even more so after the events in Tiffauges. But at some point, they just fell back into old patterns, and it certainly did not help that Nik kicked him out of the house and Kol retaliated by playing Marcel's BFF."

With a thoughtful expression, Caroline pursed her lips. "Do you think Kol was really just trying to piss off Klaus? What if he actually chose to side with Marcel after all?"

Rebekah shook her head. "Kol has always despised Marcel – he kept saying he was nothing but a boor, but I believe he was a little jealous back in the day when Nik spent so much time roaming the world with Marcel. Still, it was not only jealousy. Elijah, Kol and I never liked the man in the least, and I would find it beyond surprising if Kol changed his stance so drastically. No, he always knows exactly how to get to Nik and how to upset him the very most. You could safely say that no one in the world is as proficient in provoking Nik as Kol is."

"And I thought Damon and Stefan had issues," Elena commented dryly. "It seems Elijah is the only member of our old boys' club that could be considered remotely normal."

Silv and Rebekah exchanged a glance. "Oh, I don't know about that," the Original grinned. "He can be quite something, too. He is just more skilled at hiding his less presentable sides. But I do have the feeling that this whole relationship slash marriage thing bodes rather well for all of them."

"Ahm…" Caroline interjected, raising a finger. With a snicker, Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"Yes, all right, it bodes well for all of _us._ Myself included." They had to laugh, and Caroline exchanged a quick look with Elena. How far had they come from the days when Rebekah had been an almost bigger plague than her brother!

With a grin, Silv took a sip of blood and gazed at the others. "We just need to find someone for Kol eventually, then."

"Didn't Klaus say that this Davina has her sights set on Kol?" Caroline asked.

Rebekah shrugged. "I'm not sure she is his type. I've met her once, and she is rather… ethereal, innocent in a way. If the past is any indication, we can safely assume that my brother is more into the hands-on kind of woman, you know, down-to-earth, experienced, a little dirty."

All of them grinned. "Sometimes the façade can be deceiving," Silv remarked with a raised brow.

"Do tell," Caroline challenged. "Does that mean there are dark secrets we don't know about noble, steadfast, aristocratic Elijah Mikaelson?"

"I daresay there is a lot that is not widely known about him," the brunette smiled with a wink. "And you may rest assured I will never divulge any of it."

Elena leaned forward. "How did you two meet, anyway? I've always figured you at some sort of posh soirée, you in a glitzy ball gown, Elijah in tails, making polite conversation and waltzing around. Followed by months after months of gentlemanly courtship before he even kissed your hand."

Silv's musical laughter resounded from the kitchen walls. "There was a posh soirée and I was indeed wearing a ball gown. But those were the only two hits, Lena." She leaned back and refilled her coffee mug before she went on. "It was in London, in the nineteen twenties…"

* * *

LONDON, 1924

_I glanced over the glittering crowd at the Café de Paris. The glamorous new night club had opened only very recently but it had already managed to become the new center of London's golden society. That was partly due to the Prince of Wales having turned into a regular guest, bringing with him an array of friends of the noblest standing. This invariably attracted all sorts of fortune seekers, gold diggers, adventurers and other more or less interesting personalities. _

_It bored me to death. _

_My escort for the night was a member of that exclusive circle and happened to actually be a relatively close friend of the Prince's. He had been lavishing me with attention ever since we had first been introduced at a private house party given by a mutual acquaintance. I was somewhat flattered by his persistence but otherwise not interested. I had only agreed to accompany him tonight to pursue one of my favourite pastimes – observing the upper crust make complete and utter fools of themselves. Although I still needed to find my place in life, I was truly glad that I belonged to two different worlds, not really bound by society's rules but still able to sit at the sidelines and watch. With a light smile, I imagined the reactions of all these would-be masters of the game if they knew what I really was._

_"May I offer you another drink, dear?" my escort asked eagerly, interrupting my musings. I knew that my underlying aloofness was what drew men to me, but it invariably attracted the wrong men, namely those who were looking for detached, distant cold fish. I never ceased being surprised at how many men actually _wanted_ a woman like that. With a sigh, I pushed away the hope that someday, someone might actually see right through me and find the woman beneath the cool façade. The years had taught me it would never happen, but that didn't mean I couldn't have some fun with the wrong men from time to time. Tonight's date, however, would certainly not end up on that list._

_"That would be lovely, thank you, Richard," I smiled, seeing his eyes light up and roam my cleavage, they way they had done most of the night. I really needed to get out of here._

_"I will be right back, don't go anywhere," he exclaimed and got up to make his way through the crowds towards the bar._

_As soon as he was out of sight, I grabbed my purse and inconspicuously headed in the direction of the exit, smiling left and right, ignoring how a few of the men covertly gazed at me. I knew there were some who considered me attractive because of my long, auburn hair, green eyes and slim figure, but I had never really seen myself that way. For a very long time, I had been a freak, an outcast. Never having known my real parents, I had lived with a foster family until I was sixteen. They had not been able to accept me as a true family member, for there had always been something _different_ about me. When I had first conjured up some minor magic, accidentally of course, I had made the grave mistake of going to my foster parents and voicing my fears. I hadn't known what was going on and I was deeply frightened, thinking I was turning insane. My foster parents had been very conservative, religious people who had immediately called for a priest to exorcise the devil they believed possessed me. I had fled my home that very evening and never looked back. Eventually, on an aimless trip through the Scottish Highlands, I had met a warlock who had sensed what I was and took me in, teaching me what I needed to know and taking my fears as well as he could. He had become my first lover, and I had been content. Not happy, but reasonably satisfied. After a couple of years, however, the nagging feeling that there was more to life, witchcraft and love than what I had learned until now made me restless. I was grateful to my lover, which was why it took me another year to finally work up the courage to leave him. If there is one thing I will always be sorry for, it was breaking his heart, but I couldn't help myself. I just _knew_ I had to go._

_Ever since then, I had continuously worked on improving myself, both as a witch and a woman. I had sought out other witches and warlocks all over the world, listening, watching and learning, and I had begun to craft my own grimoire. Eventually, during my travels through Italy and France, I learned about my heritage. I had not been aware that there were four lines of witches and warlocks that were more powerful than the rest of them, and I was stunned to learn that I was the last descendant of one of those bloodlines. It was less impressive to learn about some of my ancestors, especially about Francesco Prelati. Ever since I understood who he was, or rather, _what_ he was, I vowed to myself to never even get close to Black Magic, and to become as powerful a White Witch as I possibly could should I ever need to face someone like him._

_Acutely aware of my lack of general education, I read everything I could get my hands on, attended university lectures, visited museums, art galleries and libraries. I began to dress better, to improve my language and to gradually move up within human society. It seemed that people liked having me around. I had made up a solid and intriguing life story to tell, and it appeared to fascinate the so-called golden circle. With all of that, my life was busy and full. And so utterly empty. _

_Shaking my head at myself and trying to chase away the sudden gloominess, I collected my fur coat and stepped outside, taking a deep breath, enjoying the crisp night air and ignoring the thought about the elaborate excuse I would have to invent for leaving without a word. I was not usually this impolite, but I was simply not in the mood for Richard's lengthy pleas to grant him another hour. Opening my purse, I pulled a cigarette from the little silver box, at the same time fumbling for the lighter. Suddenly, a match was lit right in front of my face, and I looked up in confusion. I hadn't sensed anyone approaching me, and that was a first. It made me uneasy. Lighting my cigarette, I raised my gaze, and my breath caught at the sight of the stranger before me._

_He had a very handsome face with strong, pale features, full hair I inexplicably yearned to run my hands through, and expressive, brown eyes. Dressed impeccably in a dark suit, shirt and tie, he exuded an overwhelming yet serene presence. I frowned. Supernatural. _Vampire._ My first reaction was to give him migraine before he could hurt me, but some deeply buried instinct told me he was not going to cause me any harm, so I just remained where I was, my eyes fixed on his face._

_"Thank you," I said evenly, gesturing at my cigarette. "I never expected a vampire to eventually save my life."_

_He smiled and my breath caught again. "Is your life that easily endangered?"_

_Now I had to smile as well. "A redundant question for a vampire to ask a witch."_

_"And a wise response for a witch to give a vampire."_

_We smiled at each other, and even though everything I had been taught shouted at me to get away from him as fast as my legs would carry me – which would never be fast enough, duh – I found myself fascinated. There was something very dangerous and imposing about him. I had encountered many vampires by now, but none of them had oozed this kind of cool authority. It was bordering on regal. Who was this man?_

_As if he had heard my thoughts, he inclined his head. "I am Elijah Mikaelson. It is a genuine pleasure to meet you." His lips touched my hand very briefly, but it was enough to send a double shiver down my spine. He was a member of the Original family of vampires! I had heard of them, everyone had, but I had never expected to actually meet one of the mysterious, elusive Originals who were the most powerful beings on Earth, feared by the entire supernatural world – vampires, witches and werewolves alike. But what made me tremble even more was the effect the touch of his lips had on me. This couldn't be good. Clearing my throat, I nodded._

_"I am Silv Leighton." I had recently changed my surname again, something I kept doing on a regular basis, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to choose another given name._

_"Well then, Miss Leighton, am I correct in assuming you have no interest in rejoining the illustrious gathering?" He pointed towards the nightclub from where snippets of music and laughter came floating through the air._

_"Indeed you are. Tonight's crowd could be described as tedious at best."_

_He gave me another smile that made my heart flutter. What was it about him? "I could not agree with you more. Although I do believe you left a broken heart behind in there, Miss Leighton," he chuckled. My eyes narrowed._

_"I therefore gather that you have been watching me?"_

_"Yes," he simply said. "It is my custom to stay alert whenever I encounter any witches, warlocks or vampires. But I have to admit it was no hardship watching you tonight."_

_My stomach clenched at his subdued compliment. Confused by my strong reaction to the Original, I straightened. Hiding behind my usual aloofness, I replied coolly, "Please know that I do not appreciate being followed, not even by an Original vampire. I have nothing to do with you and your family, so if you do not mind, I will be on my way now."_

_"My apologies, Miss Leighton. I suppose it is just a habit that is difficult to break. You have obviously heard about my family, so you will not be surprised to learn that we are being defied, attacked and beleaguered on an almost daily basis. It makes us very suspicious which sometimes can result in a certain paranoia. Pray forgive me."_

_I inclined my head. "It is probably even understandable to some degree. But may I ask you to please refrain from watching me going forward, Mr. Mikaelson?"_

_He chuckled. "It is Elijah, please. Will you allow me to invite you for a drink in order to atone for my trespassing on your privacy?"_

_I hesitated. This was probably a very bad idea, even though something was drawing me to the Original in an almost irresistible manner. Well, I thought, that was _why _this was a bad idea! But I had never been one to be reasonable when I ought to be, and I was never one to be put off by a little danger. _

_"Very well, Elijah. It might actually be the only way to disabuse you of the notion that I am the evil mastermind behind the global plot to bring about the downfall of the Original Empire."_

_Now he gave me a broad grin that made him look almost boyish and turned my limbs into jelly. "And that must be avoided at all cost, so I will take it upon me to have a drink in your utterly displeasing company. For King and Country!"_

_I chuckled and took the arm he was offering. "And there I thought you were said king. Please do tell me it is not the court jester whom I have just encountered."_

_"I am the éminence grise behind the throne," he commented with a light wink while we slowly walked in the direction of St. James's Park. "The ruling sovereign is my brother Niklaus."_

_"And you like it that way?" I asked rather bluntly, trying to ignore how good it felt to hold on to his granite arm and how we had immediately fallen into step as if we had been walking at each other's side for decades._

_"I do, in fact. I am not someone to seek the limelight. Niklaus is far better suited for that. I am more of a power broker in the background, and I much prefer that. Here we are," he added, pointing to a short flight of stairs that led to a small, unmarked door with a golden lion head on it. Elijah knocked once and the door opened to reveal a liveried man who bowed at the sight of the Original, stepping aside to let us pass._

_Once we were inside, the porter took my coat and for a second, I felt Elijah's hand on the bare skin of my arm as he guided me towards the interior of the house. Heat flashed through me and I could barely suppress the little gasp that threatened to escape me at the innocent touch. Then again… had his touch really been that innocent? _

_Elijah held a door open for me and I stepped through to find myself in what seemed to be a private club. The dimly lit place was cozy, welcoming and exuded a subdued elegance. A few tables were occupied and soft music played in the background. He led me to one of the free tables in a secluded corner of the large room, pulling out the chair for me and waiting until I was seated. A waiter appeared out of nowhere, inclining his head towards me and nodding at Elijah._

_"Good evening, Madam. Mr. Mikaelson, it is an honour to have you with us again. What may I serve you tonight?"_

_Elijah turned to me. "Can I interest you in a glass of champagne, Miss Leighton?"_

_"Indeed you can. And please do stop calling me Miss Leighton." For some unfathomable reason, I was uncomfortable with him calling me by a name that was not mine. It felt wrong. And I had no idea why it felt that way._

_With a small smile, he addressed the waiter. "Dom Pérignon, 1921. Thank you, Robert." When the waiter left, Elijah leaned back in his chair and gazed at me attentively. "Will you tell me about yourself, Silv?"_

_"As I already pointed out, I have nothing to do with you and your family, and I am not participating in any dark conspiracies against you, so there is no need for espionage."_

_He leaned forward an inch before he answered in a very low voice. "That is not what I am asking about. I am asking about _you. _The woman, not the witch."_

_Another shiver went through me. I knew all the pathetic little games men played to lure me into their bed. A shadowy bar, champagne, feigned interest in who I was… It was always the same pattern, and sometimes I didn't even mind. But even though the circumstances were so familiar, something was different about Elijah. Since my early childhood days, I had been good at detecting dishonesty – there were not many people who played me for a fool. Here, tonight, I sensed nothing of the sort. For a moment, I wondered whether my strange and very sudden fascination with the Original was clouding my judgment. I had never experienced a pull like this and I wasn't sure I liked it._

_"Why?" I simply asked._

_For the first time since we had met earlier, he looked a little confused. "To be perfectly honest, I do not know. Please forgive me, I am not usually this forward, but… I simply want to know who you are."_

_His eyes never left me for the entire remainder of the night. Neither of us noticed how the club slowly emptied, leaving us to our intense, incessant conversation. When Robert approached our table to carefully insinuate to Elijah that they needed to close at some point, the latter glanced at his watch and raised a brow._

_"Would you like to take a walk with me, Silv?" he asked in barely more than a whisper. I just nodded, and after he gently helped me into my coat, we left towards the river. When we had reached the Thames, we silently walked along its banks, careful not to come too close to each other, both staring out at the river. After a few minutes, I abruptly stopped. I couldn't cope with this lingering tension, and that was another first for me._

_"I believe I will call it a night. Or rather, a morning. Thank you for the lovely evening, Elijah, I truly enjoyed it. Maybe we do run into each other again someday."_

_He had turned around to face me. All gentleness and serenity was gone from his features, leaving nothing but a very intense, passionate gaze I would never have expected from him. _

_"Afraid, are you? I would not have taken you for a woman who scares easily. And please do not insult either of our intellects by asking me what you are supposed to be afraid of."_

_I threw my head back defiantly. "I was not going to. And yes, I am afraid. I have no idea what this is, and I need to think about it. You do not strike me as a particularly impulsive man, Elijah, so I am quite certain you will understand that."_

_With one step, he was in front of me and whispered, "Yes, I do understand. But I do not accept it."_

_Without having seen him move, I suddenly felt his hands cupping my face… and his lips on mine. My eyes widened in astonishment for a second before I closed them and surrendered. There was no way I could have resisted something like this. Nor would I ever have wanted to. For a man so collected, so controlled and seemingly unflappable, he kissed with a delicious abandon that took me by complete surprise. I was by no means inexperienced, but this was something else entirely. He played my mouth like a delicate instrument, in turns soft and gentle, then passionate and hard. His hands were very determinedly roaming my body, setting me on fire and making me yearn for his touch on my bare skin. The longer we kissed, the more I knew what I wanted. It didn't matter just how many degrees of wrong this was, and it didn't matter that nothing would ever come of it – I wanted Elijah like I had never wanted any man before. I needed him to do to my entire body what he was doing to my mouth. The second I broke the heated kiss, I felt Elijah retreat immediately which made me even more confident about what I wanted right now. He was undoubtedly a gentleman, but I yearned to discover the passionate man I had just caught a glimpse of. Putting everything else aside, I took a step back and looked him straight in the eye. After another moment, he took my hand and gently touched his lips to my fingers._

_"Are you certain?" he probed, a little hesitantly. Oh, I really liked how he did not play any games with me or pretended not to know what was on my mind right now! I had the uncanny feeling he could see right into my soul._

_"I am," I murmured, "you made sure of that."_

_With a light chuckle, he offered me his arm again. "I should probably apologize, but I have never been less sorry for anything in my entire life."_

* * *

_I walked through London in a daze. A short while earlier, I had snuck out of Elijah's hotel suite when he had been taking a shower. It was not something I normally did, but these were exceptional circumstances. This one time, I wanted to avoid any awkward goodbyes, any stale cliché phrases and half-hearted promises to meet again sometime. The overwhelming, devastatingly erotic experience I had shared with Elijah was something I wanted to confine to my memory in its purest form, not polluted with anything that brought me back to reality. I would remember this day as a product of my fantasies, a dream, a fairy tale. The mysterious, powerful man, the intense conversation, the sizzling chemistry… Elijah was exactly what I had always been looking for but never dreamed existed – worldly, cultivated, intelligent with a subdued but brilliant sense of humour… and a complete and utter demon in bed. A demon who had not only ravished me to delirious perfection, but who had also made my treacherous heart flutter with the way he held me afterwards. It had made me _hope. _Which was why I could never see him again. _

_When I entered my flat, I just dropped my purse and coat and went straight to my bedroom, falling onto the bed fully clothed, closing my eyes and covering my face with my hands._

_"You could have just told me you were more comfortable in your own bed, my lovely. I most certainly do not mind."_

_With a shriek, I jumped off the bed just to spot Elijah standing next to the open window, arms folded over his chest, looking at me with unreadable eyes._

_"How did you… never mind. Why are you here?"_

_"It is not my custom to spend the night – or day, in this case – with a woman and let her leave my bed without a word. And something tells me it is not your habit, either, so you had better explain why you felt the need to run away like that."_

_I sighed and began to pace the room, doing my utmost to fight down the impulse to just shove him onto my bed and continue where we had left off earlier. "I thought it might just make things easier. This has been very… intense, Elijah, and I wanted to preserve the memory without the usual post-shenanigan awkwardness."_

_He was silent for a moment. "Are not you the one who is calling this a shenanigan, Silv?" he calmly inquired. It was uncomfortable to hear the truth, but I didn't want to let him get to me. At least not more than he already had. _

_"We both know that is exactly what this is. We met only last night, did we not? And do not tell me you were planning on seeing me again. I hurt your ego by leaving, and that is why you sought me out. Let us just not dramatize this. It was wonderful, it was even perfect, so let us not spoil it." Well done, I thought to myself. He will leave, I will be in a little bit of pain for a few days over how this was so bloody fantastic, and then everything will be back to normal._

_In a blur, he was right in front of me, staring into my eyes in that intense way that had made me so shivery from the very first second. "So you do want me to leave and to never darken your door again?" he asked, taking one step closer. Why was he making this so difficult? _

_"Elijah. I met you, and about two seconds later I went to bed with you. That is hardly romance material."_

_He gave a small, sarcastic smile. "I would not have thought that a witch of all people could be so narrow-minded."_

_"Oh, is that the name people give to experience nowadays?"_

_"But then I am not your everyday _shenanigan_, am I?" He cupped my cheek with his hand and said quietly, "Now, do tell me why you really left."_

_I closed my eyes. How did he see through me like that? No one else ever did. I knew I had always wanted to find someone who looked closely enough to actually recognize me for who I was, but now that he was here, I found it very unsettling. With a deep sigh, I faced him again. _

_"What I told you was the truth, Elijah. I did want to confine this encounter to memory as unspoiled as I possibly could. But I also… I also did not want to lend myself to illusions. The longer I had stayed, the more would I have been in peril to do just that." There, I said it. I exposed myself. Oh well, so it might hurt for a few more days than predicted, but I would be fine. At least that was what I told myself until he kissed me again, very softly, lingering on my lips and gently stroking my cheek. _

_"Can we sit down?" he asked when he released me after a while._

_"Of course." I gestured towards the living room and motioned for him to follow me. "Would you like a drink?" I asked when we reached the room. _

_"Yes, thank you," he murmured, standing right behind me and breathing a subtle kiss on my neck._

_"Elijah, I am serious, if you wish to talk, you should definitely not do that," I said firmly, making him chuckle. _

_"I am sorry, my lovely, it would seem I have a hard time resisting you." His words sent another little tremor through my stomach, and I quickly handed him a glass of Scotch. He waited until I had taken my seat on the spacious couch before he sat down himself. His impeccable manners seemed to only add to his allure, and I clenched my glass until my knuckles turned white._

_"Silv, I hope you will allow me to say a few things to you." I nodded, and he took a sip of his drink before he went on. "I agree that these last hours were very intense indeed, and I can understand your motivations for wanting to escape. I would be lying if I said I wasn't struggling, too. But before I continue, let me ask you one question." He paused."Aside from the physical pull, which I will be bold enough to call a given after these last few hours, are you attracted to me?"_

_He was nothing if not direct, and I liked it somehow. I had no idea where this was going, but it felt good not having to put on a mask and just being able to speak my mind and be myself. "Yes. I am."_

_A beautiful smile played around his lips. "I am very glad to hear that, as I have to admit to being utterly attracted to you, and I can assure you that this has not happened to me in a long while. Silv, I usually am a very careful man. I avoid taking chances wherever possible but sometimes, it cannot be helped. The moment I came back into my room and you were gone, I confess I was relieved for a second. As you phrased it so aptly – no post-shenanigan awkwardness and a beautiful memory. A mere instant later, however, I realized that I was rather uncomfortable with the thought of not seeing you again. To be perfectly honest, it puzzles me and I would like to find out why I feel this way. I would like to take a chance and get to know you, and for you to get to know me. Not as witch and vampire, but as Silv and Elijah. Would you be willing to consider?"_

_My head was spinning. Was this really happening? "What is it that attracts you to me?" I asked cautiously, not quite trusting my voice and hoping he would give a nonsensical answer that would make it easy for me to turn him down. Not that I really wanted to, but…_

_His eyes never left mine when he answered. "The contrasts in you. And the fact that they are not contrasts at all. You are keeping the world at an arm's length, but you yearn to be a part of it. You are of resplendent beauty, but it does not matter to you. You are suspicious of everything and everyone, and yet you do not hesitate to plunge right into an adventure when it presents itself to you. And… you dismiss hours of the most spellbinding lovemaking as a shenanigan, when somewhere deep inside you, you desire nothing more than for it to have a meaning, to be of consequence. That is what attracts me to you. Not to mention the fact that said lovemaking was utterly magnificent."_

_Oh God, he had just hit the nail on the head! Everything he had said to me was one hundred percent accurate. Including the bit about the lovemaking, of course, I thought with an inward grin. It _had_ been magnificent. More than that. I took a deep breath. Yes, I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to find out if that overwhelming attraction was just a fleeting whim or something more substantial. Possible painful consequences be damned. And hell, yes, I wanted more of that incredible man in my bed!_

_"So what did you have in mind, then?"_

_"Well, for starters…" he set down his glass and pulled me into his arms, "I was not actually done ravishing you. And I have the distinct feeling I won't be for a while, so you might want to call off any pressing engagements you have over the next few days." I grinned, and my stomach contorted in anticipation. "Then I would like to spend some time with you. I had planned to leave tomorrow and travel to Chicago in order to meet my family, as my business here is concluded, but if it is agreeable with you, I will extend my stay. Any objections, my lovely?"_

_I still couldn't believe what was just happening, and I was way too confused to form any coherent thoughts. All I knew was that I was still me – head on into the adventure. I started to loosen his tie and smiled at him._

_"I like the idea. But there is one thing you need to be absolutely clear about."_

_"And what would that be?"_

_"I am not an Original Vampire. I do need to sleep from time to time."_

_Elijah gave a delighted laugh. "Damn. Always a catch."_

* * *

Silv took another sip of her coffee and winked at Caroline, Rebekah and Elena. "We didn't leave the house for three straight days. Between Elijah and me, it was just sex before it became love. Although it didn't take us very long to get there. I wasn't aware that things could happen that fast, but ever since then, I have grown to accept that when it comes to love, there is nothing that is actually impossible."

"What happened next?" Elena asked curiously. "I mean, when you finally managed to leave the house. Not that I couldn't relate," she added with a grin.

"Can't we all? And I have the added bonus of being married to the most powerful man on Earth, so go figure!" Caroline giggled, making Rebekah snort.

"Dream on, sister!"

All four of them laughed, then Silv went on. "Elijah stayed for three weeks, during which we were inseparable. We spent time at the Mikaelsons' mansion in the countryside, enjoyed the cultural life in town, talked, laughed, dined, danced and made love. Not always necessarily in that order. When he left, he asked me to come with him. Neither of us could bear the thought of being without the other again, and that after barely three weeks, but... we had got used to each other's company so quickly and so thoroughly that it really scared me, much as I had always longed for something like that to happen. So I turned him down, asking for more time to make a decision. He left for Chicago, but I was sure he would be back very soon. What I hadn't reckoned with was my unbearable longing. I resisted all of three days before I packed my bags and followed him. When I arrived at his doorstep, he just took me in his arms, held me forever and said nothing. Silence is how he usually reacts to overwhelming emotions," Silv explained. With a gentle smile, she took her mug and emptied it, holding it out for Caroline to refill.

"He introduced me to Klaus and Bekah, and although they were apparently very surprised, they accepted me immediately for some unfathomable reason. Bekah was just overjoyed to see her brother happy, and so was Klaus, even though he would never have admitted to it. I had the feeling he even was a little envious, apart from the fact that he thought a witch ally would eventually come in handy. Life with the Original Family was something else. When I learned that Klaus was carrying Esther, Finn and Kol around in coffins and the whole family had been hunted by their creepy father for a millennium, I thought they were completely demented. Which they admittedly are, but I still like them somehow." She gave Rebekah another wink. "Anyway, even that couldn't really put me off, and Elijah and I grew closer by the day. My God, was I happy! Bekah told me at one point that in one thousand years, she had never known Elijah could even be like this, and I thought nothing could ever come between us. Little did I know that we didn't need anything to drive a wedge between us – we managed fairly well by ourselves."

Caroline looked at Silv and nodded. "Klaus told me that Elijah wanted a commitment and that you weren't ready…"

The brunette inclined her head and closed her eyes for a second. "It had only been a few months, not enough for me to determine what I really wanted. I had just admitted to myself – and to him – that I loved him, but I had never heard him say the words. I thought I didn't mind, but it turned out that I did after all. When he asked me to let him turn me so we could stay together and he wouldn't have to fear for my safety on a daily basis, I failed to see that this _was_ his way of telling me he loved me. The only thing I saw was that he wanted me to give up my life, my magic, practically everything, for a relationship that hadn't even heard those three little words. I thought I had to prove my point, and so I told him no."

"How did he react?" Elena asked.

"He gave me an ultimatum. It was all or nothing. Eternity at his side or a limited life without him. And I was being as stupidly stubborn as he was. When I refused him again, he just looked at me with an expression I had never seen on him before and walked out of the room. Before he closed the door, he just murmured, 'I do not wish to see you again'. I raced to pack my things and fled the house like I was haunted by all the Gods of the Underworld, and I never returned. The minute I had left, I knew I had made the greatest mistake of my life, and everything inside me was screaming at me to return to him immediately. But I thought I knew Elijah, and I couldn't stand the idea of him staring at me with all that disdain he can so effectively put into his eyes and tell me that I had my chance but blew it. So I ran, initially back to London for a while. The first few weeks nearly killed me. I thought I would never survive the excruciating pain. I saw him everywhere, and everything reminded me of him to the point of almost driving me insane. At some point, Klaus appeared at my doorstep." She hesitated, casting a careful glance at Caroline. Elena was just pouring herself and Rebekah another glass of blood. Both of them weren't looking, and Caroline imperceptibly shook her head.

"He told me Elijah had turned off his humanity right after I left, and he tried to persuade me to come back and help him convince his brother to turn it back on. I just couldn't, the pain was so unbearable, and seeing Elijah without his humanity would have been all but excruciating. To have him look at me with perfect indifference… it would have been hell on Earth. So Klaus left again and I moved on, but he stayed in touch over the years. He seemed to know that the day would come to throw Elijah and me in each other's paths again… and as furious as I was with him when he finally did, back in Norway, I have to admit that he had a lucid moment there!"

Caroline grinned and raised her glass. "He has those quite often."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Ah… yeah… right."

"Hey, don't let me get started on Damon," Caroline growled, but she was grinning. The four of them looked at each other.

"Can we just agree that all of our men are entirely insane, and if it wasn't for us, they would instantly fall off the wagon?" Elena suggested, raising her glass.

"Hear, hear," Silv laughed, and the women clanked their glasses.

_Let's hope they'll never have to be without us. Or we without them._


	9. An Uneasy Heart

***** I just received a couple of PMs that apparently, the notification for the previous chapter (Shenanigans) hasn't been sent out properly, so for those who haven't received it - I posted two chapters today, this is the second one! :) *****

**Some more sexy times before... tomorrow... ;)**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

AN UNEASY HEART

Life went on without any major disruptions for a brief while. There were no more run-ins with either Kol, Bonnie or Marcel. Everyone seemed to remain in their own territory, and yet, there was something in the air. They were all waiting, and no one would have been able to say what it was they were actually expecting to happen.

With every day, every _hour_ that went by, Caroline grew more and more restless. She was unable to concentrate on her lectures, and not even Elena's company could distract her from her strange anxiety. More than once, Klaus had caught her sitting by the window, staring outside without moving or speaking. Whenever he asked her what was wrong, she just shook her head and shrugged. She hoped so very badly that she was just being delusional, but something told her it was more than that.

Tonight it was especially intense. Klaus and Elijah were not at home – again – and Caroline had spent the evening with Silv, Elena, Bekah and the Salvatores. It had been entertaining and fun, but the nagging feeling in her stomach had never entirely subsided. In the end she had left for her room, mumbling something about not having prepared for tomorrow's lecture and wanting to do some reading so as not to come across as the dumb blonde in class. _Need to make up vampire-compliant excuses. Headaches and fatigue no longer work._

She had been tossing and turning in bed for a couple of hours when she felt him slip under the sheets behind her and turned around to snuggle into him. His arm slid along her waist to her back and he pulled her very close, gently running his fingers up and down her spine. Caroline closed her eyes and let herself be flooded by the sensation of his touch on her bare skin. As she always did when she needed him like she did now, she hid her face in the curve of his shoulder. It was _her_ place, her home. She loved every inch of his perfect body, but the small space between his neck and his shoulder gave her a feeling of comfort she couldn't even explain. And he always knew something was wrong when she hid there.

"What is it, my love?" he asked softly, stroking her back and placing tender kisses on her hair. "What has been bothering you all this while?"

"I don't know, Klaus. I just feel awful about something without knowing what or why, and that makes me feel even worse." She huddled deeper into his embrace, feeling his strong arms tighten around her. Nothing made her feel safe like being in his arms, and nothing made her feel loved like the way he worried about her wellbeing. "It's like the times when I wake up in the morning with that nagging feeling that something is going to happen. Normally it's very neutral, and I don't know if what comes my way will be good or bad. I just know it will happen. But it's different this time. It's bad, and I'm plain uneasy. And to be perfectly honest, your war games are not helping, but we've been through this and I don't want to dig up that topic again. I agreed to let you take care of whatever it is you need to take care of. It just makes me nervous, too."

He moved back so he could cup her face and take a good look at her. His gaze softened when he saw the worry in her eyes. "Caroline, I will never let anything happen to you. You're always safe with me, my beautiful girl, and you know that." She did. And yet… she wasn't worried about her own safety. For some unfathomable reason, she was scared for the two of them. For what they had and for what they meant to each other. She had feared for her life more than once, but nothing had ever made the panic creep into her every bone like the thought that something might happen to their blissful, utter happiness. Her love for Klaus, while always intense, had grown into something absolute over the last few months, despite his frequent absences and their occasional disagreements. It was comparable to the way her body had reacted to him almost from day one, only now it was not just her body, it was her entire being. When he was gone, everything inside her grew restless until she had him safely back in her arms. And every time he had one of his still frequent nightmares about his baby brother Henrik's ordeal – and with that, his own – she felt his pain like it was hers.

And it was not all one-sided. Klaus was becoming more and more attuned to her, reacting to her every mood like a seismograph. The way he had to take one look at her to know what she needed was uncanny at best, but she loved it. There had been many times when she had thought about whether she was supposed to feel suffocated by their closeness and their unwavering focus on each other. She had tried to see it as neutrally as possible, but she had come to the conclusion that the opposite was the case. Instead of feeling suffocated, Caroline had discovered that she felt free with him. Never once had he tried to force her into doing anything she didn't want to do, and he kept encouraging her every idea and thought. Maybe that was the reason why being with him could never be too much for her – he gave her wings and let her fly wherever she wanted. In turn, she knew she gave him stability and peace of mind, calming him down with just one touch when he needed it the most and showing him he was worthy of love and affection. Something Klaus hadn't felt in a millennium.

Caroline knew he would want to dig deeper into her disquietude but she had to find out more about it herself before she could discuss it with him. _And he needs to focus on whatever it is he's doing all the time. Don't distract him with your funny feelings. The more he can concentrate, the quicker he'll find out what this is all about and put an end to it._ Still, she needed him close now. As close as possible.

"Niklaus," she breathed, "let me feel you."

His eyes darkened at her whispered plea. Very slowly, his soft lips moved to cover hers, their tongues meeting in that delicious, exciting dance that never failed to turn all her insides to jelly. Most of the time, their lovemaking was rather rough and passionate, the way they both enjoyed so much, but tonight she needed him to be gentle, loving, tender. His lips moved to her neck now, his tongue tracing languid patterns on her sensitive skin while his hand was softly caressing her face. All of a sudden, she felt a tear welling up in her eye. Blinking frantically, she tried to keep it from spilling over. _Too late._ He had already felt the tiny trace of moisture on her cheek and stopped moving immediately.

"Caroline," he whispered, wide-eyed and anxious. "Please. Talk to me, my darling."

His worried eyes and the overwhelming tenderness in his lovely voice were all it took to make her start crying in earnest. At a serious loss now, Klaus sat up and pulled her with him, making her sit between his thighs and wrap her legs around him, just the way she had back in Tiffauges when he had finally told her about what had been haunting him for so many centuries. He gathered her close and kissed her moist eyes, running his hands soothingly up and down her arms and over her back. Caroline sniffled and leaned her forehead against his.

"I'm so sorry, Klaus. I was so set on not distracting you from business, especially not with such an unsubstantiated anxiety attack. I need to find out what it actually is I am so worried about, but… Klaus, I love you more with each passing day and you've become so vital to my wellbeing that I'm positively terrified of anything that could possibly happen to us – not so much to us physically but to us as… well, _us_! And this feeling that something _is_ dangling over our heads just won't go away. But I don't really want to talk about this right now. Please make love to me, Klaus. I need you so much."

She saw his eyes burst with feeling, and she knew he could read her. He understood that she needed him at his most protective and gentle now, and that she needed him to make her forget her fears for a little while. He carefully lowered her onto the mattress and locked his eyes with hers, his gaze caressing her face and his hands softly stroking her hair. Gradually, his lips sought hers until they finally touched, making her eyes flutter shut. Pulling him close, encaging him in her arms, she expected him to deepen the kiss, but his lips left hers and she was about to protest when she felt them tenderly brush her cheeks… her forehead… and her eyes. He took her head in his hands and kissed every inch of her face so lovingly it nearly killed her. Very slowly, his lips began to trace a pattern underneath her jaw line until they finally reached her neck. Touching her skin almost reverently, he lingered on each kiss, and only after a very long time did his tongue begin to taste her.

Klaus savoured every bit of skin, moving from her neck over her collarbones to her shoulders and her chest until at long last, he reached the soft swell of her breast. Unbearably tenderly, he cupped it with his hand and placed languid kisses all over the sensitive area. Finally, his mouth closed over her nipple, making her give a soft, shaky moan. Her hand ran through his hair.

"Klaus," she merely whispered, putting everything into that one little word. Moving on to her other breast, he licked it just as gently, making Caroline shiver under his skilled ministrations. His mouth eventually went on to discover her belly, her waist, her hips, becoming ever so slightly more demanding on the way. Caroline gasped audibly when he lifted her leg and let his lips and tongue take very thorough care of the back of her thigh. She let out a little cry as he reached the hollow of her knee, running his tongue over the two small indentations. He worked his way all down to her feet, gently suckling on each toe while his hands incessantly moved all over her legs. After a long while, he paused, placing her feet on his chest and looking down at her, his eyes clouded. Caroline was burning by now, having been set on fire so slowly by his calm, intense worshipping of her entire body, and so she nodded, breathing heavily.

"Please."

Wordlessly, he took one of her hands and squeezed it lightly. Then he moved forward in a blur and suddenly, his tongue ran over the entire length of her sex. The moment his lips touched her, he groaned loudly, making Caroline roll her hips to better meet his greedy mouth.

"Ah, you're divine, my love. A goddess. _My_ goddess!"

She whimpered as he continued to lick her while he kept making little sounds of delight. His hands moved under her butt, lifting her from the mattress only the slightest bit to allow himself better access to her soaking wet folds. His tongue slid into her determinedly, then he licked her clit, slid into her, licked her…all at a pace so torturously slow that Caroline was no longer able to control any of her body's reactions. She shivered, trembled, moaned and pressed herself against his agonizing mouth, demanding more… more… But he never increased his speed. _Oh God, Klaus, if only there was a way to just melt into you!_

It took a few more languid swishes and flicks of his devilish tongue, and Caroline felt the familiar sparkle inside her, spreading from her core into every fiber of her body. It was an orgasm so slow, sweet and delicious she could almost taste it on her tongue.

"Niklaus… I love you… so much!" she choked out, making him give a guttural growl against her while he was gently absorbing her climax. Their hands had found each other, fingers intertwined, holding on for dear life until the very last shudder had rolled through her.

Tenderly stroking her body, he moved up to lock his eyes with hers. Caroline pulled him close. "Will you make love to me now?" she whispered, smiling at the deep longing in his eyes.

"Is that what you want, my sweet little one?"

"More than anything."

He swiftly moved to hover over her, gently nudging her legs apart. They devoured each other with their eyes as he effortlessly slid into her. Supporting himself on his elbows, he covered her entire body with his, something he did not normally do as it didn't allow him enough leverage for some of his wilder moves. But today was very different. He pressed her arms to her sides with his elbows and suddenly, his legs were on either side of hers, pushing them closed, all the while not breaking his steady rhythm. _I feel so… covered, protected, surrounded! This is beyond beautiful!_ It was the most complete and secure she had ever felt but still, there was something more that she needed today.

"Tell me what you feel, with everything you do to me. Please tell me!"

He smiled and kissed her. Gently at first, but his lips quickly became more demanding. Moving in and out of her moist core at a slow but firm pace, he whispered, "Right now, my angel, I feel so protective of you that it almost supersedes my desire. Almost." With that, he pressed her legs even closer together, making her moan and sending himself into a series of gasps.

"Being inside you is the single most overwhelming sensation I have ever known. You completely surround me, you fit me so perfectly and… the sheer joy of feeling you… how you pulsate around me…" He growled as she contracted in response to his breathless whisper. "I can sense how you grow ever warmer, how you all but pull me into you. My love, the way you writhe and shiver under me turns me into a God for a moment – but it renders me so helpless at the same time."

Caroline pressed an open-mouthed kiss on his neck, tasting his skin with the tip of her tongue and giving him a few small bites with her human teeth. "And that," he moaned, "goes all through me, just making me want to do nothing but shag you for hours." She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes glued to his, staring at him in fascination. His voice, together with the way he expressed his need for her, never ceased to render _her_ helpless. As did what he said next.

"My darling girl, you are so beautiful to me in every single sense of the word. So incredibly beautiful."

She struggled to free her arms. She needed to touch him. He let her arms go, and she immediately cupped his cheeks with her hands, lovingly caressing him, letting the tips of her fingers trace every inch of his face. Klaus had not increased the pace of his thrusts but she could feel he was nonetheless working himself up to a powerful climax. Panting, he locked his eyes with hers.

"I want to feel your fangs in my neck when I come, my love."

She shook her head, reluctant for some reason she couldn't quite put her finger on. "I don't want to hurt you today."

Smiling, he gave a somewhat harder thrust, leaving her gasping. "You won't. Trust me. Do this for me, please."

With a throaty moan, Caroline surrendered to what she, too, actually wanted so badly and gently sunk her fangs into the soft, delicate skin of Klaus' neck. _Oh God, his blood gets more delicious every time I taste it! And it arouses me more than ever!_

"I love your taste," she whispered between licks, "you are just beyond delicious, Niklaus."

He groaned at her passionate murmur and infinitesimally increased the speed of his thrusts. They moved as one, their bodies so attuned to each other that they needed no time to adjust. Caroline reveled in Klaus' deep, sensual moans and let her hands glide down his back, cupping his butt and enforcing his moves, never ceasing to suck his dark, thick blood into her greedy mouth.

Crying out, they finally came together, trembling and holding on to each other. Caroline felt the blood stream from her mouth and was sent into more spasms of pleasure when Klaus licked his own blood off her. Their orgasms didn't seem to end this time, as if something was prolonging them, giving them time to enjoy their ecstasy to the maximum. It was heaven. Pure, simple and absolute.

After a while, he carefully moved them to lie on their sides, facing each other, and pulled her into his arms again. Stroking her damp hair, he whispered, "I love you, my Caroline. So completely." She took a deep breath and swallowed the tears that were threatening to fall again. _What the hell is this? Why do I look at him and feel like I want to cry my eyes out in panic over losing him? God, I'm scared! _She couldn't help it and hid her face in the curve of his shoulder again. If she looked at him for one more second, she would lose it.

Hearing him sigh, she summoned all the strength she could muster and forced herself to breathe steadily. His hands never stopped caressing her hair and back, giving her much-needed warmth and protection.

"Sleep now, my love. I am here, and I won't let any harm come to you. To us." He pulled the covers over them and gathered her closer. "Whatever it is that worries you, I will take care of it. We will talk about everything tomorrow. Remember that we have all the time in the world."

Caroline closed her eyes and kissed him tenderly before hiding in _her_ little corner of his shoulder. Her sanctuary. "I'm being silly. You're right, we will face whatever it is together. Just promise me I'll never have to be without you, okay?"

Klaus tilted her chin so he could look at her. "I promise, my darling. As long as you promise me the same."

She nodded, cupping his cheek and placing another soft kiss on his lips. "I promise, Niklaus."

Neither Caroline nor Klaus had any idea that not even twenty-four hours later, one of them would break that promise.


	10. When Darkness Falls

**ευχαριστώ πολύ Ελλάς! :)  
**

**A special thanks again to Justine, Sam and the other guest reviewers! :)**

**Today's chapter will be rather long... and a wee bit dramatic, I believe... I truly hope you guys are going to like it, and please do carry on with your lovely reviews. They are a bit of a silver lining for me at the moment! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER NINE

WHEN DARKNESS FALLS

When Caroline awoke in Klaus' arms the next morning, her premonitions had become worse. She knew she was behaving like a hysterical school girl, but she simply couldn't help it. They spent an hour awake in bed just holding each other before she hesitantly agreed to get ready to go to her lectures. They showered together, tenderly touching each other and standing beneath the hot water stream forever, eyes closed, feeling one another's proximity and warmth. At some point, she noticed that their Signum had turned a very intense shade of purple by now, a sign that during last night, they had apparently grown closer yet again. Caroline just couldn't let go of him, and Klaus had to gently remind her of the time and of the fact that Silv would behead them for using up all the hot water. She struggled to put her inexplicable disquietude out of her eyes, but she knew he had seen it.

He drove her to campus and came around the car to open her door. Putting down the small bottle of water she had been playing with, she reluctantly got out of the passenger seat. Her heart clenched at the sight of her lovely man and she took in his appearance, somehow needing to confine it to her memories. His black denims, his dark Henley that clung so snugly to his chest, his necklaces… and his face. The beautiful, divine face that meant the world to her. Caroline closed her eyes and moved into his embrace.

"Off to see your annoying horse, or is it yet another reconnaissance mission today?" she mumbled, trying to lighten the mood. To no avail. She felt worse by the minute, but she didn't want to distress him any more than he already was at her strange behaviour.

"Reconnaissance first, and I was planning to see Caligula afterwards. Caroline, do you want me to stay with you?" he asked. She knew he would, but she also knew he was keen to do whatever he had planned for today.

Straightening up, she smiled at him. "No, of course not. As I said, I'm just being silly. No major dangers to be expected from 'Early Christian and Byzantine Art', I hope," she joked feebly.

"I am not so sure about that. Some of the early Christian artworks can be so boring you may well be in danger of desiccating from the sheer dryness of the topic," he grinned, obviously relieved at seeing her a little more animated.

She leaned into him and kissed him lightly. "Don't let Caligula throw you off."

"Oh _please,"_ he scoffed. Then his voice softened, and he tenderly kissed her eyes. "Have fun today, my love. And just call me if anything is wrong. I'll be here in no time."

"I love you, Niklaus," she whispered, but the strain in her voice was unmistakeable.

"As I love you, my sweet little one. I will see you later. And… I will miss you," he smiled, giving her another light kiss, knowing there would be time for much more, later in the day. He jumped into his M6 and drove off. Caroline stood staring after the disappearing car, unable to move or breathe. _Oh come on, get a grip!_

She was just about to step onto campus when a dark, velvety voice came up behind her.

"Hello Caroline."

* * *

Caroline turned around, hoping the little moment had given her enough time to put the anxiety out of her face.

"Marcel. If you were looking for Klaus, you just missed him by a couple of seconds. But I'm sure he'll be at the house later today if you want to speak with him." She was certain she had sounded relatively normal.

The older vampire smiled. "Actually, I was looking to talk to you. Can we sit down for a moment?" He gestured towards a bench on the campus lawn. Caroline shrugged, trying to hide her nervousness. Why the heck hadn't she agreed when Klaus had asked if she would have liked him to stay with her? She had wanted him to, God knew that she had _needed _him to, but she hadn't wanted to come across like a whimsy damsel in distress. _Stupid pride._

"What can I do for you?" she asked when they sat, giving her voice a tad of impatience. "I have to go to class, so I don't have much time."

"You and Klaus have a very strong bond indeed, it would seem," he began, pointing at her Signum. "Fascinating. I never thought that Klaus was actually capable of feeling something like this. Well, I suppose that a thousand years without love makes things all the more intense once you finally find it. But I'm digressing." He paused, and all of a sudden, his face turned stone-cold.

"Caroline, you will leave Klaus. Today. Now. You will never return, you will never attempt to contact him again, and you will never let him know where you are."

She stared at Marcel, incredulous. Then she gave a mirthless little laugh. "You've gotta be kidding me." Starting to get up, she snapped, "I will forget you ever said anything this stupid, and you will never talk to me again going forward. Goodbye."

His voice cut her like a laser when he hissed, "Not so fast. Sit down. I wasn't finished."

"But I am. Entirely!" she snarled, looking daggers at him.

"If you take one more step, Klaus will die today."

She stopped dead in her tracks, fear washing through her like an icy waterfall. "Klaus can't be killed," she whispered automatically. "He is immortal and you know that. The only thing that could ever kill him is…"

"… this." He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a beautifully crafted stake. Caroline blanched and her eyes widened in terror. It was White Oak.

Without thinking, she leaped forward, grabbed the stake and flashed off as fast as she could. As she had caught him completely off guard, she had a very small advantage. Marcel was older, faster and stronger, but maybe…

The pain split her skull like an axe. With an outcry, she stumbled over her own feet and dropped to her knees, desperately trying to hold on the White Oak stake. Her fingers were trembling and she could no longer think. It was pure instinct that made her clutch the stake to her chest, using all her remaining strength to keep it with her. But she didn't stand a chance. Before she knew it, she was pulled to her feet and the stake disappeared from her hands. The pain raged on for a couple of minutes before it gradually subsided and she could once again discern her surroundings.

Marcel was leaning against a tree, a nonchalant grin on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. "I see you recognized what it was that I showed you. I happen to own four stakes exactly. Four stakes for four Originals." He stowed the stake in his jacket and his grin widened.

Now fear had turned into white-hot panic, and Caroline knew it showed on her face. She just wasn't enough of an actress to hide it. "Where did you get those stakes? There is no White Oak left in the world."

He gave her an eerie smile. "Does the name Prelati ring any bells?"

She stiffened. Prelati. The wretched warlock who had participated in the murder of hundreds of innocent children. The madman who had helped to kill Henrik and torture Klaus. "So he gave you the stakes before he came to Europe?"

"Indeed he did. They were part of a bargain we had agreed to. It's a shame he is gone for good. He was a very capable warlock. However, I am digressing again. You ought to know that I am not sending you away for the mere fun of it, although I am undeniably looking forward to observing the consequences of your leaving. No, there is something I want from Klaus. Something only he knows the location of. In exchange for that object, I will hand the four stakes to him, and once he destroys them, there will indeed be no White Oak left. But as long as you are by his side, he will never agree to any bargains about the item in question, and as long as you remain with him, he will be all but unbeatable. I have known Klaus for many years. He has always been strong, fearless and stubborn, yet he was also impulsive which led him to make mistakes and become vulnerable. He was exposed for short periods of time. But ever since he found you, this source of error has been all but erased. Because of your influence, he is becoming increasingly calm, reasonable and level-headed, and a Klaus in that state can never be defeated, outwitted or bested. Therefore you will go."

Caroline felt physically sick. "If you kill him today, that item you want will forever be lost to you," she tried to threaten. "You will have no way of finding the object, if he is the only one who knows where it is. Apart from the fact that his entire line will die together with Klaus, and if I'm not mistaken, that includes you."

The older vampire just laughed. "That is a good point. Let me assure you that I have taken precautions. There are many talented witches out there, and the most gifted of them all has found a way to actually resuscitate me permanently, not just for a few months, and without the blood of a relative. She simply requires a supply of my own blood before I die, and I shall return to the world of the living as immortal as I am now. However, you will never allow me to kill him anyway. You would happily give your life for him, am I not right? I assure you that won't be necessary. You will just have to leave and never come back. I do not care where you go and what you do as long as you never return to him. And should you be debating whether I am bluffing – I am perfectly willing to prove to you that I am not."

_This can't be. Please, God, please, let this be a nightmare! _

"He will be searching for me," Caroline choked out.

"Then see to it that he doesn't find you."

"You know he is not alone. Elijah…"

"Elijah will be too busy looking after him, trying to make sure he doesn't kill everyone in sight. Your leaving will weaken Klaus beyond repair and with him, all the Mikaelsons. I will not underestimate them, but they are far from invincible. You see, love is a vampire's greatest weakness. Klaus has always lived by that maxim, and now that he has compromised his beliefs for the very first time in his existence, he will be vulnerable as he has never been before. I have seen you together, and I have come to the conclusion that the loss of you is the one thing that will completely disable Klaus. The special beauty about all of this is that there is no rush. I will let some time go by after you have left in order to truly let the impact sink in, have it take as heavy a toll on him as possible. He will never recover from you, Caroline, and I shall enjoy watching him slowly falling apart, bit by bit. Once he has reached his lowpoint, I will strike a deal with him on the object I require, and once I am in possession of it, the entire Mikaelson family will be at my mercy for the rest of eternity. After all, it is what he taught me – catch them when they are at their weakest."

She shook her head, looking at the older vampire in despair. "Why don't you just kill me?"

Marcel inclined his head and looked across the campus lawn thoughtfully. "It would certainly be the easiest thing to do. But as I said, I will not underestimate Klaus. If you die, he has nothing left to lose. He will not care if he lives or dies, and he will not care if his family does. Or the rest of the world's population, for that matter. The instant he realizes his Signum is gone, he will turn off his humanity and become nothing but a merciless slaughterer, and believe me – not even I would want that, for there is no way of stopping Klaus if his mind is set on exterminating mankind. It would thwart my plans, and that I cannot allow. He needs to have the hope, however faint and however deeply buried inside him, to see you again eventually."

Now the tears started falling. "How will I know you will keep your word? I have no guarantee that you won't stake him after all."

"You have your Signum, have you not? Another infallible sign is your dropping dead, but let us not assume the worst. No further contact with the Mikaelson family or your friends from Mystic Falls from now on. Or with your mother, for that matter. Remember, it is not only Klaus. It is his entire line. And the lines of the rest of the Original family, one by one."

"No," she whispered. "No! I can't disappear just like that, without telling anyone I'm all right!" One look told her that this was not a negotiation. She stopped breathing. "What… have I ever done to you to make you hate me so much, Marcel?"

With a light sneer, he replied, "Hate you? Not at all, Caroline. How does Klaus like to put it again? You're just collateral damage, it's nothing personal. I just want this one object from him. It has nothing to do with you."

"So I… can come back once you have it?" she asked, a flicker of hope racing through her heart. It was crushed mere seconds later.

"I'm afraid not. You see, I will give Klaus the stakes because once the object in question is in my hands, I will not need them anymore. I could just kill Klaus and his family at my leisure, should I feel so inclined."

"Then why would I leave? If you intend to kill them anyway…"

"I did not say I _would,_" he interrupted. "I said I _could. _There is a huge difference, and your coming back at any point in time would definitely turn 'can' into 'will'." He looked at his watch. "You have sixty minutes to leave town from the moment we're done here. Bonnie, sweetie?"

_Bonnie?_

The witch seemed to appear from out of nowhere, planting herself in front of Caroline, casting a quick glance at Marcel and giving him a gentle smile. A _loving_ smile. _Wait, what? Bonnie and Marcel? But…?_

"Hi, Care."

"Bonnie, please! What is it you want out of this, for God's sake? Are you doing this for _him_?" She pointed at Marcel. The way Bonnie was looking at him told her they were much more than mere allies. "And all of this just for a stupid object, whatever it is?"

"This _stupid object_ will make Marcel the most powerful being in the world, and I will be at his side where I belong, sharing his power. Klaus' reign of terror will finally, finally be broken for good. Sorry, Care. No, you know what? I'm actually not sorry. You've had your little sordid affair with the Mighty Hybrid, and now you'll move on. Worse things could happen to you. Come to think of it, worse things _have_ happened to you, isn't that right?"

_No. There is nothing worse than this._

Marcel cleared his throat. "Bonnie will put a temporary tracking spell on you. Do not worry, it will be strong but it will cause you no harm, and it will leave your body within twelve hours. We do not wish to know where you are going. But we will check whether you truly left. Hand me your phone and your wallet." In a daze, Caroline pulled the items from her purse and gave them to him. Without blinking, he crushed the mobile in his hand, tossing the amorphous metal clot into the trash can next to the bench, followed by her credit cards. "You will not let him track you. Bonnie, would you mind, sweetie?"

Bonnie beamed at him, and there was something obsequious in her smile. Caroline felt like throwing up. Then the witch raised her hands and began to mumble. A brief pressure invaded her system, but it was over after a few seconds.

"You have sixty minutes to leave the city limits and you will not go back home. You will not take anything with you other than the clothes you are wearing. Find some way to let Klaus know that you have left him for good and will never return, without speaking to him, his family or your friends from Mystic Falls. Should you feel inclined to warn him or anyone else about the stakes, now or in the future, your mother will be first to die, followed by each and every single one of your friends and family. You see, the very talented Bonnie will also spell the White Oak the minute you leave. If any supernatural being other than me touches the stakes, that person will desiccate immediately, followed by my having them staked without hesitation. Once Klaus agrees to the deal, the spell will be lifted and I will hand him the stakes. I do believe you understand the gravity of the situation, do you not?"

"I am not leaving," Caroline said automatically, glaring at the two of them with all the contempt she could muster, desperately battling the blinding fear that paralyzed all of her senses. She could no longer think straight, and she had no idea what to do. There probably was a rational solution to all of this, but she was so completely taken over by her devastating fear for Klaus' life – and everyone else's – that it left no space for any kind of logic or reason. They looked back at her evenly without saying a word for a while. Then Bonnie raised her hands and took a determined step towards her.

"I was afraid you wouldn't. You leave me no choice, Caroline." She saw the witch's eyes close, and her hands touched Caroline's forehead. There was nothing she could do when the pictures invaded her mind.

_Klaus in his car, the little bottle of water beside him he always takes along when he goes out to see Caligula._

_He is returning from his ride. Hey, what is happening now? It looks like… he's blacking out! _

_Marcel… Marcel with the White Oak stake, and Klaus is still out! He's handing it to a human… compelling him to… My God, please, no, no, no! _

_Silence._

Then the pictures were gone, and Bonnie's voice sounded close to her ear. "You know the bottle of water. I've spelled it so that once he drinks it, he will briefly black out the instant I complete the spell. When we're done here, Marcel will go out to the stables with a compelled human, hide in the woods behind them and wait for Klaus to return. If I confirm to him that you're gone and keep constantly moving away from the city, nothing will happen to your _husband._ If you don't… well, you've seen it. As Marcel said, I can permanently resuscitate those I choose to, but rest assured that neither you nor Klaus will be on that list. And if you think you will be happily holding hands in the afterlife, forget it – Klaus will move on to the Other Side and you, Saint Caroline, will most definitely end up in the Eternal Realm of the Dead, being the _good girl_ that you are."

"Make her forget him, Bonnie," Marcel said suddenly.

_No! Oh God, please, PLEASE, don't! I need to remember him, he is my most precious memory! Please, Bonnie! For old times' sake! Don't do this to me!_

The witch looked at her for a long while, taking in her pleading eyes, and Caroline thought she saw her features soften infinitesimally for a second. She turned to Marcel and replied, "No. She ought to remember what she lost. She supported him in everything, and that included humiliating you in the bar that day. She will keep her memories."

Marcel just shrugged and nodded. "It's your call."

Relief flooded her very briefly. Yet the feeling was gone as quickly as it had come. They would hurt Klaus brutally with this. If only there was something, _anything_, she could do to let him know she wasn't leaving him voluntarily! But… Marcel had said she must never return to him and never let him find her. If he knew she hadn't left on her own accord, he would never stop looking for her. If, however, he was convinced that she no longer wanted to be with him, he was going to get over her eventually, live on and maybe defeat Marcel and Bonnie at some point so her family and friends would finally be safe. No, she really couldn't take the risk of letting him know she was being forced to go, or warn him about the stakes. She had to keep him safe, and she had to have faith in his being strong enough to face what he would need to face. Strong enough to survive and to keep the family unharmed.

The one and only thing she could do was… leave.

Caroline looked at Bonnie, her vision blurred from dry tears that would not fall. "Bonnie…"

"Bye, Care."

* * *

Her mind was reeling, and she had positively never felt this nauseous in her entire life, human or vampire. Sixty minutes. _Think, and think quickly! You have to tell someone who will then let Klaus know, someone outside of family and friends you can remotely trust, but who?_ Then it hit her. She flashed off at full vampire speed until she had reached the shady little alley off Bourbon Street. _Please let him be there. And please let the place be empty!_

It seemed her silent plea was being answered. When she entered the bar, she spotted Remy behind the counter with a notepad, apparently counting bottles. No patrons were to be seen. Remy turned around at the sound of the door and smiled brightly when he recognized her. She raced up to the bar and hissed, "Is anyone here, Remy?"

He looked at her in confusion, his smile beginning to falter. "No, why?"

"Lock the door."

"Caroline, I…"

"Just do it, I don't have much time to explain, and I can't have anyone listening in. _Please._ "

Shaking his head, Remy flashed to the door and locked it. Turning around, he crossed his arms and stared at her. "I'm not overly keen on having Klaus rip my head off, Caroline, so you had better come clean on what this is about."

Very slowly, she took off her diamond necklace, her engagement ring and her wedding band and held it all out to him, gathering what was left of her wits for what she hoped would be a convincing performance. "Remy, I need you to do something for me. Give these to Klaus and tell him that I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. Tell him to just forget about me and move on with his life."

Aghast, Remy stepped up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Caroline, what on Earth are you saying? Have you lost your mind?"

"I am no longer willing to put up with his quest for world domination. He is never there, and he puts his stupid schemes and plots first even when he repeatedly promised that nothing would ever be more important than I am… I can't be with him anymore knowing that none of this will ever really change. I've been feeling terrible for weeks, and he has just not taken me seriously. It's a pattern. With him, it's all about power and battles and subjugating others. It's my fault, up to a point – I knew who he was when I married him, but I overestimated my own fortitude in dealing with that. A life at his side is really not what I want for the rest of eternity, and I probably shouldn't have married him in the first place. Just tell him that, please." _I'm going to be sick if I keep lying like this! Oh God, Klaus, I'm sorry! So, so sorry! I love you so much, more than my own life! Please forgive me!_

Remy stared at her with piercing eyes. "Why is it that I don't believe a single word of this? Caroline, I have seen you and Klaus together a million times by now, and if there is one thing I am absolutely positive about, it is the fact that you two are as madly in love as I have ever seen anyone. You adore Klaus, just as he worships the ground you walk on." He shook his head, and there was a little sadness in his gaze. "Tell me the truth. What is going on?"

Caroline had almost broken down at his words. But now she straightened and looked him in the eyes with as hard an expression as she could muster. "This is all I have to say on the matter. It's between me and Klaus, but I don't want to discuss this with him for the gazillionth time, as it won't change anything. I am leaving him and he must not try to find me, for there is nothing he could ever do or say to make me change my mind about him. I don't ever want to see him again, but I wish him luck with whatever it is he's looking for. Will you tell him that? And give him the rings?"

Remy was silent for a moment. Caroline was well aware of the thing he had for her, which was why she had come, knowing he would help her. But she also knew that it was precisely what made this a little unfair to him, although she really couldn't have cared less right now. All she cared about was her Klaus. And the fact that she would… never see him again. _I just wanna die. Please, God, if you exist – just strike me dead here and now._

"Caroline, you know he will hang, draw and quarter me if I tell him you left. If he learns you spoke to me and not to him."

More panic shot through her for an instant. "All right then, why don't you call Elijah? Ask him to come here and tell him what I told you. He can break the news to Klaus, and you are off the hook. Please, Remy. I can't ask anyone else." She couldn't help one last look at her rings before she placed them in his hand, violently fighting down the memories of the day Klaus had proposed to her on the beach of Aitutaki's lagoon where they had got married a few days later. _ must never think of that again. _She quickly cupped Remy's cheek with her hand, looking at him for a moment before turning to leave.

"Caroline," Remy called after her. "Where will you go?"

She cast an empty look over her shoulder. "Somewhere he will never find me. Promise me to give Elijah the rings. And… tell him to watch over him."

With that, she flashed out of the door, leaving Remy to gape after her.

* * *

Caroline stared out of the window of the small airplane, unseeing. She hadn't really seen anything since she had left. After somehow managing to steal a car in New Orleans and driving to Mobile in a complete daze, she had compelled her way into a flight to Houston. From there, she had gone on to Buenos Aires and now she was on the last leg of her journey. The flight was very turbulent but she didn't care. She no longer cared about anything. Other than the words necessary for compulsion, she hadn't spoken to anyone, nor did she plan to ever again. She had died the minute she had taken off her rings. The minute she had left him behind.

The plane was making its final approach and through the layers of clouds, some glimpses of the ground were now visible. Forests, rocky cliffs, the sea. The turbulences got worse, which was no wonder, given the location. This was the literal end of the world, home to the Roaring Forties, some of the strongest winds found on the planet.

This was Southern Patagonia.

When they landed in Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world, Caroline impassively watched her fellow passengers cross themselves after the bumpy flight. _What are they grateful for? Their lives? Life is nothing but a punishment. And who are they grateful to? God? Someone ought to tell them he doesn't exist. If he did, he would never allow all the pain in the world. _My_ pain. _She had no idea where to go and what to do, so she just walked from the minuscule airport until she had left the signs and sounds of civilization behind. When she had reached the coastline, she sat down on a cliff overlooking the Beagle Channel. She knew the landscape around her should take her breath away with is gargantuan beauty, but there were no feelings left inside her.

She touched her Signum. He was alive. Then she pulled her watch from her wrist and with a last glance at it, she tossed it into the dark grey sea, watching it go under. Pulling her jacket around herself, she stared at the distant horizon.

She did not move for three days.

* * *

Klaus' mind was on Caroline when he returned from his ride a few hours after he had dropped her at campus and gone after his business. He had been thinking of little else ever since he had driven away from her. Caligula had apparently sensed that Klaus was not in the mood for their usual power games and had not put up more than an absolute minimum of resistance.

When he took the bridle to stow it back inside the barn, he shook his head at himself. He shouldn't have left Caroline alone today. He had never seen her like this and he wondered if he should probably have taken her disquietude more seriously. Not that he believed in premonitions and the like, but he had to admit that whenever Elijah had a bad feeling about something, his brother was usually right, and why would it be any different with Caroline? Well, he would make it up to her later, getting her to truly talk about what worried her so much and trying to find a way to soothe her anxiety. Then again, he should probably start by calming himself first. He would never admit it to anyone, but her strange gut feeling was beginning to make him nervous, too. There was something off about this day, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He grabbed his jacket, searching for his car keys.

Out of the blue, a sudden sharp pang of foreboding rushed through him, making him almost double over. He held on to the fence for support, fiercely battling down the strong surge of unfounded panic. It was something he had not felt in centuries. Frowning, he considered for a second. He might not believe in premonitions, but even less did he believe in coincidences.

_Caroline._

In a blur, he was in his car, racing towards the city. Caroline had had only two lectures scheduled this morning, so she would be home by now. He was out of the car the instant it had come to a screeching halt in front of the house. Crashing the door open, he called out for her. Nothing. He heard Silv in the study and flashed into the room.

"Caroline. Have you seen her?" he asked, unable to keep the panic from his voice. Silv had been getting up from the armchair when she heard him, a book in hand. She shook her head in astonishment at Klaus' total distress.

"No, isn't she supposed to be in class this morning?"

"She should be here by now." Frantically, he grabbed his phone and called her mobile. The moment his call went directly through to mailbox, he knew something was seriously wrong. Caroline _never_ turned off her phone.

"Call Elijah, Bekah and all of the others," Klaus commanded. "Tell them to look for her. Wait here in case she calls. Try Tyler Lockwood in Mystic Falls and find out if she has been in contact with him. Now, Silv!" he snapped when Silv didn't immediately jump into action.

"Klaus," she said softly.

"What?" he almost yelled.

"Whatever happened, you won't help her if you lose your head." Klaus knew his sister-in-law was right, but he had no control over himself. The sheer panic was eating him from inside out, and all he wanted was to hold Caroline in his arms, to touch her, to know she was well and alive. _Alive._ His hand flashed up to his Signum, and he almost gave a sob out of sheer relief.

"Call them," he just murmured before he raced out of the house, ignoring the car. He was much faster on foot.

He tried her college first. Finding her art history professor in his office, he just shoved the man into the nearest wall, immediately compelling him just to learn that Caroline had never shown up for class. Klaus started to feel physically sick. After a moment's consideration, he flashed off towards Bourbon Street. Shortly before arriving at Remy's, his phone vibrated. He skidded to a halt and pulled the mobile out of his pocket, his hope flaring. It was Elijah.

"Where are you?" Klaus demanded without any further greeting. He noticed the infinitesimal pause on the other end and it made him more nervous than everything else put together.

"I believe you had better come home immediately, Niklaus. There is something I need to tell you." Klaus felt a bone-deep chill race through his body at the somber tone in his older brother's voice. He broke the connection and flashed towards his house, arriving there not two minutes later and bursting through the door.

"Elijah. What is it?" he asked, not quite able to put the slight tremor out of his voice.

Wordlessly, Elijah held out his hand. When Klaus' eyes fell on what his brother was holding, it was as if the floor was dropping from underneath his feet. Her rings. The rings he had slipped on her finger when he had made her his. When they had been so deliriously happy. With a dry burning behind his eyes, he looked up at Elijah.

"She left them with Remy," Elijah explained quietly. Both he and Silv looked shaken, which was what finally made him realize that this was not a bad joke.

When his brother repeated Caroline's words to Remy, Klaus turned to stone. Something inside him broke. He had always been deeply afraid of the fact that good things never lasted, and here was the final proof that they indeed didn't.

His brain ceased to work, no longer allowing for any coherent thought to take hold. And for the first time ever, Klaus stopped fighting and let his mind go adrift. He wasn't good enough. He was unworthy. Of her love, of _her._

Caroline. _Caroline._

"She was always free to leave at any given moment," he choked out in a barely audible whisper. "If she can't be with me anymore, then… then…" He did not finish the sentence. Instead, he took the rings from Elijah and stared down at them, seeing a giant wall of roaring pain approach him like a colossal tsunami about to devastate a shoreline.

"Niklaus. Listen to me. I do not believe things are quite that simple. When have they ever been? Everyone knows that Caroline loves you with all her heart. She would gladly take a stake for you. Come to think of it, she already did once, back in Tiffauges. Remy said there was something off about her, and she did not actually contradict him when he told her he did not believe anything she said. She also asked for me to watch over you, and according to Remy, she sounded completely broken. I think there is more to this than meets the eye, Niklaus, and we need to find out what it is. Stay focused!"

Looking up from his hand holding the rings, eyes red-rimmed, Klaus shook his head. "She left me, Elijah. It is of no consequence why she did that. It was her decision. And that is the… end of it. Of everything."

"Are you listening to me? I said…"

Klaus raised a hand. He did not want to listen, he did not want to speak. "I do not care. If you will excuse me."

He turned around and left the house. Pocketing the rings, he started to run like a shadow, flashing out of the city and into the woods bordering the bayou, only occasionally visible in the faint glow of the unusually pale afternoon sun. With innate grace, he evaded trees, branches and rocks, never faltering in his elegant run. His movements would have reminded any onlooker of a cheetah on the hunt – lean, efficient, powerful and incredibly fast.

He kept running, craving but never feeling exhaustion. The hovering darkness and the blinding angst inside him did not fade, however fast he ran. Suddenly, out of nothing, the pain all but exploded as the final realization hit him like a train wreck.

She was gone. Caroline, his wife, his love, his _light_ – she had left him, just as some deeply hidden part of him had always known she would someday. It meant… the return to loneliness. An eternity of loneliness, for he hadn't so much as acknowledged the existence of other women ever since she had stepped into his life. It was her and none other. There would never be anyone else for him again. Klaus skidded to a stop at the edge of a paddock. Looking up, he found Caligula staring at him. He hadn't even noticed the direction his steps had taken. By now, he was panting, but it had nothing to do with exhaustion. It was sheer and undisguised panic at the final recognition of what lay ahead of him.

A life without Caroline.

His knees gave and he fell to the ground, feeling like the weight of his thousand lonely years had joined forces with the even lonelier aeons to come, and they were pushing him down mercilessly. How was he ever going to bear it? How on Earth would he make it through eternity without her love after having tasted the sweetness of a life with her at his side? Gods, how he needed her! He needed her softness, her sassy comments, her body seeking the comfort of his in her sleep, her pearly voice whispering his name, her eyes telling him how she loved him. How he would never be lonely again. A wave of despair crashed into him and darkness descended on his every thought, his every emotion. There was no way out.

A single tear escaped him, and that did it.

He lifted his eyes to the hazy skies, his face an almost unrecognizable mask of despair, pain and terror. All traces of humanity left his voice when he finally cried out in agony.

With his last bit of strength, he crawled into the paddock, slumped to the ground at his horse's feet and let his insides be torn apart by the excruciating pain.

* * *

"Klaus."

Someone was speaking to him, but he did not care. He did not want to know who it was. The only thing he wanted was to be alone, to never speak or hear or see again. But it would seem the voice was not going to go away so quickly.

"Klaus, your horse won't let me anywhere near you, and I don't want to hurt him. So you either get out of there or tell Caligula to back off."

Some remote part of his brain registered the speaker now. Stefan. He opened his eyes with some effort to find Caligula hovering over him, eyeing the younger Salvatore brother suspiciously. When the horse noticed Klaus stirring at his feet, he nudged him carefully with his nostrils. At any other moment, Klaus would have shaken his head in amazement at such a gentle gesture from the wild stallion, but he just couldn't bring himself to care.

"Go away," he murmured and closed his eyes again, feeling Caligula give him another nudge.

"Nope," Stefan replied evenly, "sorry, Klaus. No can do. Come on, get out of that paddock. Everyone's been looking for you for ages, so we should get you home and call off the search parties."

Klaus shook his head almost imperceptibly. "Leave me alone. Tell everyone to leave me alone. I am fine."

"Yeah, that's exactly what this looks like. Come on, Klaus. You are everything but fine, and I can understand you better than you could possibly fathom. But it helps no one, least of all you, if you try to dig yourself a hole to disappear in. Get out of there," he added, his voice more determined now.

"She is gone, Stefan," Klaus whispered, almost suffocating from the words. "She left me. My light just left me. Do you truly believe I still care about what helps me or anyone else?" He opened his eyes once more to see Stefan's face. There was compassion in his features, not pity. Klaus raised his head from the muddy ground, and Caligula's nostrils touched his face immediately. Instinctively, he lifted a hand to give his horse a quick pat. He slowly sat up and leaned against the fence, looking at the younger vampire who was speaking again now.

"I know her, Klaus. She loves you more than anything or anyone. You are the love of her life, she told me so herself, and if there is one thing she would never, ever do, it is to leave you."

"But she did."

Stefan nodded. "And that is what is so very out of character for her. I completely agree with Elijah that something about this whole thing is off, and we will find out what it is."

"I do not care. She left me. That fact is more eloquent than anything else, and I require no further explanation."

Stefan sighed in exasperation. "Anyway, if you want to be miserable, you can just as well do it at home," he pointed out. "Come on, Klaus."

The last few words were uttered in a rather commandeering tone, one that somehow managed to cut through the thick layers of pain and nothingness and reached him for a split second. He looked at Stefan who was calmly gazing back at him, then he cast an emotionless glance around himself. He didn't care where he was, but he wanted to be left alone and something told him that if he remained here, Stefan would call on reinforcement troops, and they wouldn't leave him in peace until he gave in and returned home. Silently, he rose to his feet and walked towards the younger Salvatore, Caligula always at his side. The way his horse looked out for him would have been touching had he still been able to appreciate it. He climbed over the fence and wordlessly walked towards Stefan's car. Dropping into the passenger seat, he pulled the door shut and stared out of the window, seeing nothing. He felt Stefan slide into the driver's seat, and a second later, the engine started. The younger vampire seemed to understand that any attempt at conversation would be utterly fruitless, so he just stayed silent. Half an hour later, they pulled up in front of the house.

When he entered the house, he expected to see everyone gathered in the hall, but he did not notice anyone – with the single exception of Elijah who stood motionlessly at the bottom of the stairs. Klaus walked past him, his only desire to be alone in his room and to close the door, but he felt his brother's hand on his arm. Turning around, he gave Elijah an empty glance. He saw anguish, compassion and understanding, but he had no space in his heart for any of it. He just walked on until he had reached his room.

_Their_ room.

Closing the door behind him, he looked at the bed he had shared with her. A white-hot flash of pain burned through his entire being, making him groan in despair. He knew he could never sleep in this bed again, never touch it again. Like an old man, he dragged himself to the couch and sank down, his empty eyes never leaving the bed, his senses tortured by her intoxicating scent that still lingered in the room.

He did not move for three days.


	11. You Owe Me

**All right, first things first: A very special, very big THANK YOU goes to the lovely, utterly talented SHADOWSCRAVING for the amazing artwork that is now the cover for Sanctuaries and will hopefully be up shortly! You did a breathtaking job, and I just can't thank you enough! :xxx**

**Everyone who has reviewed the last chapter - I am completely overwhelmed by your feedback! So many reviews for one chapter, it was absolutely incredible! Another thank you to Nikkie, Pem, Charlotte, Ana20, Justine, Me and the anonymous guest reviewers! :)**

**Apologies, I wanted to upload today's chapter sooner, but I didn't get around to it before now - sorry, HotHybridSex! ;))  
**

**Thank you all! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TEN

YOU OWE ME

Elijah paced the study, aware of everyone's gazes following his steps. He knew they were uneasy at seeing him like this, but he did not care. He was deeply worried about his younger brother, and the sense of déjà vu did nothing to relieve his anxiety. Klaus hadn't been left alone in three days; all of them took turns watching him for a few hours. He did not look at anyone, he did not speak, eat or feed, and the exact repetition of how he had been catatonic for three days after what had happened back in Tiffauges was uncanny. This time, though, it was Klaus' complete irrationality that was the most cause for worry. He was not receptive to any kind of reason and Elijah did not like it, although it was not entirely new to him. There was no doubt in his mind that his younger brother would snap out of his current state eventually, but he had no idea how long it would take this time. With a sigh, Elijah resigned himself to the one thing that was imperative when dealing with his troubled sibling. Patience. He knew that some small part of Klaus had never been able to completely trust his good fortune after he had found Caroline, and a thousand years of mistrust, doubt and insecurities were making him forsake reason now. No one could force his brother into seeing that something was not right about this if Klaus did not allow the thought to settle inside him. _Patience._

Sighing again, he halted his steps and looked at the little group gathered in the study. Damon and Stefan, Elena, Silv. And Kol. Rebekah was upstairs with Klaus. They needed to discuss what to do next, as Elijah was absolutely certain that Caroline had not changed her mind about his brother or acted on a sheer whim, and he intended to do everything in his power to find out what had really happened, although he loathed the idea of having to leave Klaus out of it for the time being. And something told him that his sister-in-law had been reacting just as irrationally to whatever it was she had encountered as Klaus had to her leaving.

Just when he was about to speak, he heard two pairs of steps leaving his brother's room. Everyone else peered towards the stairs, and the growing tension was palpable in the whole study.

A second later, Klaus walked into the room, followed by Rebekah who shrugged helplessly. Elijah scrutinized his brother's face. He looked unperturbed, although there was a strong glimmer of pain in his eyes. And something else. Coldness, determination and the strange kind of peace that settles into someone's features after making a vital decision. Elijah's eyes narrowed. He knew what that meant. Walking over to the liquor cabinet, Klaus poured himself a glass of Single Malt, took a deep sip and looked at everyone with a stale smile.

"What a charming gathering. Is there any special occasion you forgot to mention to me?" he asked calmly, but then he shook his head. "Well, whatever. I…"

He didn't get any further and he had no time to react before Elijah flashed across the room and snapped his neck.

The older Original looked up to find everyone staring at him open-mouthed. "He was about to turn off his humanity, and we cannot allow that, not ever. It will not help him, and even less will it help Caroline. Furthermore – does any of you care to imagine the effect on the world if the Original Hybrid loses his humanity?"

"Kind of like the seven biblical plagues, only this time they wouldn't be limited to Egypt," Damon snickered. Elena elbowed him and rolled her eyes.

"An interesting comparison, and not essentially wrong. When he wakes, I will speak to him, and I hope to be able to convince him not to try and turn it off again. However, we will need to watch him permanently, and at the same time, we have to attempt to find out what happened to Caroline. Damon, I need you to stay with Niklaus from now on. My apologies, I know it is a lot to ask, but you will have to distract the hell out of him. No deep conversations, no sentimentalities – just feed, drink and play. And be your usual obnoxious self."

Damon raised a brow and smirked. "What makes you think he has an interest in any of those things, let alone in my company?"

"I have something very particular I will say to him that will appeal to his guilt, and despite everything, I am confident that this one topic will get through to him, especially as I will be giving him a very convincing performance of making him believe he broke my heart with what he did and I have yet to get over it. I will have to ask all of you to please leave the house, as this is something that concerns only my brother and myself." He cast a quick but intense look at Silv and saw his wife's eyes widen infinitesimally. He sighed. They would also need to have a long overdue conversation later on. "It will make him feel worse for a moment, but his pain will no longer be solely focused on Caroline. So once the immediate danger of Niklaus turning off his humanity is banned, Damon will come into the picture. Apologies, Stefan, for not reverting to you. I am aware that you share a special connection with my brother, and he will be in need your friendship as well. But for the first few days, or weeks, it will all have to be about his senses – feeding, alcohol… anything that keeps his mind from further succumbing to darkness and despair. As Oscar Wilde put it so aptly, this is about healing the soul by means of the senses. I am indeed sorry to say, but the usual banter with Damon is exactly what Niklaus needs right now." He paused and looked at the older Salvatore brother very earnestly. "Damon, this is very important, and I have to be able to rely on you. Can I, or do I have to consider an alternative?"

Damon started to speak, but Stefan beat him to it. "Of course you can. This is about Caroline, and she has always been there for all of us, repeatedly so. She is our friend. And so is… Klaus, I guess." He looked at his older brother when Elena put a hand on Damon's arm and cupped his cheek with the other hand.

"Damon."

He huffed, but it was plain that there was nothing he would ever deny Elena. "All right. I'll babysit him. But I take no responsibility for whatever happens if he falls off the wagon, so don't give me any funny looks or lengthy speeches about how I let him kill innocent humans or whatever."

Elijah nodded. "Agreed. Although I have every confidence in your ability to reduce any indiscriminate bloodshed to a minimum. Just try to take his mind off his pain, and do not allow him to turn it off or run away on his own. Snap his neck six times per day if you have to. He is not himself at the moment, so you should be able to be fast enough if need arises."

"Okay," Damon said. "but still, a question – why not just dagger and box him in the first place? It's not that this is news to any of you."

With a patient smile, Elijah looked at the older Salvatore. "He has to snap out of this state on his own in order to be of help, and I have come to the conclusion that he has to lead the search and ideally find her himself. Knowing my brother, he would never forgive himself otherwise, and he would secretly never forgive the one who finds her for him. You do not need to remind me of the fact that this is not very logical, but when have feelings ever had anything to do with logic after all? And if I dagger him now, he will be in the exact same state of mind once he comes to. Not a wise choice."

"So what will you guys do while I take Pol Pot on the scenic tour of Disneyworld?"

The Original gazed at the small group. Everyone was eyeing him expectantly, and his heart warmed for a moment at how they were all prepared to help. Elijah had been so thrilled at how Caroline's love had brought out the hidden qualities in Klaus. His brother, the one he had grown up with all those centuries ago, had made more and more appearances ever since he had finally overcome his loneliness. His younger sibling deserved happiness after everything he had gone through, and Elijah would help him get it back. He had no doubt it would be hard, very hard, and even less did he doubt that they could expect Klaus at his worst over the next few days or weeks, which was why he had assigned Damon to keep him company. Out of their little group, Damon and Kol would be the only ones not to judge Klaus for any rampages he would indulge in, and even though he loved his youngest brother dearly, Elijah had no confidence in him when it came to dealing with Klaus.

"Kol and Silv will seek out Davina and a couple of other witches. It will be very difficult, but try to secure their support. I have a feeling we may need it soon, and they may also have some insight on what is going on, although I am not certain of this and I doubt they will want to speak of it. Still, do try, but be very discreet about it." He walked over to his younger sibling and put a hand on his shoulder. "Kol. I know your relationship with Niklaus is… strained, but if you do not want to do this for him, do it for me. For our family. Whatever happened in the past, now is not the time to dwell on it. You can work out your issues with your older brother once things are back to normal."

For a moment, it looked like Kol was about to protest, but then he nodded. "I don't want Nik to know I am helping, and I won't join anything he is participating in. But I will speak to the witches. Family above all."

Elijah smiled. "I expected no less from you, brother." Then he looked at his sister and the younger Salvatore, huddled closely together on the couch. "Rebekah and Stefan, may I ask you to do some research? It may involve a certain extent of travel, but I would need you to attempt to trace Caroline's steps after she left. Start with Remy, maybe she left some clues he did not perceive as such at the time, then try the nearest airports. I am certain Caroline compelled her way out of the country, but I am also convinced she was very distressed and might have left an unintentional hint."

Rebekah assented, taking Stefan's hand. "We'll find something, Elijah, sooner or later."

Stefan pulled out his phone. "I will call Tyler to watch over Sheriff Forbes during our absence. He had already agreed to it when we came to visit, but he will have to stay on the task for another while, then."

"A very good call, Stefan. May I suggest you ask Mr. Lockwood to very carefully inquire whether the Sheriff has had any recent news from her daughter? I seriously doubt it, but it is worth a try."

The younger Salvatore brother nodded and dialed a number, stepping into the hallway. Elijah turned to Elena now. "If you do not mind, Elena, think about every conversation you have ever had with Caroline about any places she dreamed of visiting. Write them all down, in order of probability. Then consider everything that might be of help in finding her. You are her best friend and you know her very well. Anything can be of importance."

"Of course," Elena replied eagerly. "I'll start right away. Guys, remember, this is Caroline! She loves Klaus more than her own life, and she would never have left him voluntarily, I'm absolutely sure about that."

Silv nodded in agreement. "We have talked about their relationship very often. I know she wasn't happy about his frequent absences and his quest to rule the town, but there is no way she would have done this to herself, let alone to him. He is everything to her, so I completely concur with Elijah and Elena. Something about this is absolutely foul."

Elijah smiled at her, then he sighed and cast a quick glance at Klaus who was still sprawled out on the floor. It would not be long now, and he needed to be alone with his brother when he woke. Clearing his throat, he said, "As for me, once I have had my conversation with Niklaus, I will inconspicuously mobilize every vampire, witch and human of my acquaintance outside of New Orleans. Caroline is a vampire after all and even if it may not be her intention, she might touch on the outer rims of the supernatural community at some point. Furthermore, I am relatively certain that Marcel is involved in Caroline's disappearance, but we must not confront him for the time being. My brother is convinced Marcel's motivations for defying us go beyond mere territoriality, and we need to get to the bottom of things eventually. For now, though, we have to appear to be entirely preoccupied with keeping Niklaus from killing everyone in sight, and we must not let anyone know that we suspect foul play behind Caroline's departure. Once Niklaus is back on track, which you will need to be aware might take a while, we will decide what needs to be done in furtherance. Thank you, everyone, for your help."

* * *

Klaus opened his eyes to a short instant of disorientation before he remembered what had happened. _Pain. Excruciating pain._ His Caroline was gone. He could simply not endure the agony, and he had been about to turn it off for the first time in over a millennium when Elijah had snapped his neck. He looked up to see his brother hovering over him, a dagger in his hand that was pointed at his heart.

"Try to turn off your humanity again, Niklaus, and I will dagger and box you. I believe you are acquainted with the proceedings."

Klaus shrugged. "Be my guest. I do not care."

"Oh yes, brother, you do care. You care so much that for the first time in one thousand years, you were truly ready to let go of everything that matters to you. Your soul, your heart, your family." He paused. "Your wife."

It felt like Elijah had sliced him open and left him bleeding. "Do not mention her. Ever again," he hissed, trying to get up from the ground – until he felt the dagger pierce his skin. A tiny drop of blood stained his shirt.

"Not this time, Niklaus," his older brother hissed back. "I let you get away with the I-refuse-to-speak-of-it routine for over six hundred years after what happened in Tiffauges. This time, however, I will not allow you to. You will face this, and all of us will be at your side. So do get a hold on yourself."

A quick flash of anger raced across Klaus' face before his eyes turned empty again. "Dagger me then."

"We need you. Caroline needs you. I will not dagger you if I can help it. And… you _owe_ me, Niklaus. You will therefore retain your humanity and you will not try anything stupid again."

Now there was a hint of emotion in Klaus' eyes. There were many things he owed Elijah, but he had no idea what his brother was referring to. "What do you mean?" he asked tonelessly. "What is it I owe you?"

Elijah knelt next to his brother, the dagger still slightly scraping Klaus' skin. His eyes narrowed and his gaze turned icy. "Pray recall what happened right after I turned off my humanity back in the twenties, Niklaus," he simply said.

Klaus froze. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he whispered. And all through his agony, he felt the old guilt rising up inside him. Elijah could not know. It was impossible. It had been decades, and he had never said a word. No, it couldn't be _that_, could it?

The older Original raised an eyebrow. "Then let me spell it out for you, brother." He lowered his face until it was mere inches away, his voice turning into a steely snarl.

"You bloody ass slept with the woman I love so madly. The woman who is now my wife."

Silence descended on the room, a silence that seemed to weigh tons. Klaus felt nauseous, and for the first time in days, it was not only because of his nameless agony over Caroline. How long had Elijah known? "How…" he started to say, interrupted by his brother immediately.

"I knew it the moment you returned from London back then. I read you like a book, Niklaus, there is not much you can keep from me. You looked at me and I saw the guilt blazing out of your eyes. Only one thing could have made you feel that sort of overwhelming remorse – betraying me. Why do you think I left you right after turning my humanity back on?"

Klaus had thought nothing could ever make him feel anything outside the all-consuming sense of loss again, but apparently there was still a little hint of life left in him. "I always thought you wanted to finally build your own realm. I thought you had set out to gather some followers and build up an independent operation. I had no idea that you knew." He closed his eyes for a second before he murmured, "Elijah... It did not mean anything, not in the very least, to either of us."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Elijah hissed, and Klaus recoiled at the intensity behind his brother's subdued snarl.

"Brother, I…"

In one fluid motion, Elijah had pulled him up and smashed him against the wall, dagger at his heart, hand at his throat. "You hurt me, Niklaus, you hurt me very badly. I cannot fathom how the thought of touching Silv could ever even have crossed your mind. And you will pay for that agony you caused me by staying with us now. You will not turn it off and you will get a grip eventually so we can find out what happened. Is that understood?"

Klaus closed his eyes, trying to bring his whirling thoughts under control. Caroline… Elijah… how would he live through all of this? Tearing his eyes open again, he gazed at his older brother, and it was his allegiance to his family, his deep bond with the sibling he loved most of them all that made him summon up what was left of his heart.

"For now."

Elijah's hand retreated from his throat and he felt the dagger disappear. His brother jerked his head towards the door.

"You should feed. Take Damon with you, he is getting on my nerves."

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Don't overdo the Commanding General routine."

"Then do not vacate that position, Niklaus."

* * *

Silv returned five minutes after Klaus had left the house accompanied by Damon. Elijah took a deep breath when he heard the door, dreading the conversation that lay ahead of them. He had once told Caroline that he had never brought up the subject with either his wife or his brother because he wanted the dust to settle and because bygones were bygones. But he had not been completely honest with his sister-in-law. He had never spoken of it because it still hurt.

He was sitting on the couch, watching as Silv stepped into the study. As always, the incredible beauty of her features left him mesmerized. The night he had first laid eyes on her, back in a crowded night club in London, he had been struck by her lovely face. They had spent hours talking, and she had fascinated him more with each passing minute, so much so that for some time, he had entirely forgotten that they were complete strangers. The lovemaking that had followed their encounter had been unexpectedly intense, and there were not many things that could still surprise him. It had not just been the fact that Silv was an amazing lover and shared his erotic preferences. He had never met a woman who had reacted to his every touch with such passion, such complete and delicious surrender. Even more importantly, she was intelligent, fun, daring and warmhearted in a way no one else had ever been with him. It had taken him mere days to fall for her, and he had never fallen out of love again, not even over the almost eighty years he had not seen her. There had been many other women during those decades, including Katerina whom he had always believed to be the love of his life, but after Silv, not even the Petrova doppelganger had been able to touch his heart again. Elijah knew Silv was aware that he loved her very deeply, but he doubted that she understood the true extent of his feelings. Then again, he had to be fair – it was his fault after all. He had never been overly vocal about his emotions and she had always accepted that, but sometimes even a strong, confident woman like his lovely wife needed some reassurance, and he had never been very good at providing it.

"Elijah," Silv said quietly, taking a seat in the armchair opposite him. She swallowed before she went on in a small voice. "How long have you known?"

With a mirthless smile, he shrugged. "From the very beginning. Ever since Niklaus returned from London."

She closed her eyes and sank back into the chair. Then she looked at him again, her eyes filled with sorrow and remorse. He hated to see her like this and he knew that just like his brother, she regretted what had happened to this day, but they needed to remove the elephant from the room now, once and for all. They had waited way too long already.

"Why have you never said a word?" Silv asked, here voice no more than a whisper.

Sighing, he replied, "I have had a very long time to come to terms with what happened, Silv. Many years to be angry. And to finally forgive. When we met again, when we finally found each other anew, I had no desire to let this particular event from the past spoil our present. Or our future."

Looking at him very closely, she suddenly shook her head. "That is not all there is to this." Her eyes narrowed when she took in his face, scrutinizing him. "You are still hurting," she suddenly whispered, and Elijah cringed at the pain that shot across her face. "You may have forgiven both me and Klaus, but that does not mean you are indifferent now. There is still pain, isn't there?"

How well she knew him! It was one of those rare moments when he let down his impermeable façade. His anguished eyes met hers, and he nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, my lovely. There is. I love you more than anything in this world, and I love Niklaus with all my heart. And this is what makes it so difficult for me. It is only someone you truly love who can ever hurt you so badly the wound takes aeons to heal. And when the two persons you love the very most jointly hurt you, it takes even longer."

"And yet you married me," she murmured.

"Silv." His voice was gentle when he rose and crossed the distance, taking her hand and pulling her up to face him. He cupped her cheeks and looked her in the eyes. Yes, he was still hurting to an extent, but he knew the pain would subside completely one day in the not-too-far future. What he did not want, not under any circumstances, was for Silv to doubt his feelings for her. He had already made that mistake once, and it had cost them both decades of happiness. "I have asked you to become my wife because I love you in a way I have never thought possible. Nothing you say or do, be it in the past, the present or the future, will ever alter my feelings for you. Had I not acted like a pigheaded cretin all those years ago, none of this would have happened anyway. I know why you slept with my brother, just as I know why he slept with you. It does not repair things, but it has made it easier for me to come to terms with what happened."

He kissed her very softly, feeling the warmth spread through his body at the sensation of Silv's arms coming around him and her body pressing against his.

"I am so sorry, Elijah," she whispered, and his heart clenched at seeing the single tear that ran down her cheek. "So profoundly sorry."

With a loving smile, he wiped the tear from her face and pulled her into his arms again. "I am aware of that. And I was not looking for an apology. What I was looking for was to clear the air, which I should have done a long time ago. Anyhow, it would seem that you have an eternity ahead of you to make it up to me," he chuckled, then he turned serious again. "I love you, Silv Mikaelson. More than you can probably fathom. Just promise me you will never forget that again."

Now it was her turn to kiss him heatedly, and he felt the familiar stirring inside him. No one had ever made him lose his composure like Silv did, and he most definitely felt like losing it again now. "I never forgot it in the first place," she muttered against his lips. "Have you noticed that you told me you love me more than once in one day? Usually I have to wait for weeks to hear you say it again," she grinned.

Her words sent a little pang of guilt through him. Yes, he would need to tell her much more often. Was that not what he had said to his brother back in Tiffauges when Niklaus had been struggling with his feelings for Caroline? Never to leave his woman in doubt? Well, it was about time for him to listen to his own advice.

"Pray forgive me, my lovely. I am painfully aware that there is not much of a poet inside me, but do not believe for a second that this is an indication for a lack of feelings." He paused and lowered his forehead to hers. "I adore you, Silv, and… I need you. I am not certain whether I could handle what is going on with Niklaus right now was it not for knowing that you are by my side."

She stared at him, thunderstruck. He had never told her he needed her, but it was the plain and simple truth. Everyone thought him unshakeable, yet he was not. His family mattered to him so immensely, his wife and his brother above all, and without Silv, things would be infinitely more difficult and painful for him.

"We will help him," she whispered, still shaken by his confession. "And I will always be at your side, Elijah. There is no place for me to be other than with the man I love more than my own life."

"Show me," he murmured hoarsely, his need for her warmth finally getting the better of him.


	12. A Paler Shade of Purple

**Grazie a tutti i miei lettori in Italia! :)**

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**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A PALER SHADE OF PURPLE

Damon opened the door to Remy's, immediately scanning the room but coming up empty. Klaus wasn't here. He sauntered up to the bar where Remy was busy wiping the counter after a couple of patrons had just got up from their stools. The bartender looked up at Damon and frowned. The two of them didn't particularly like each other, which was mainly due to Damon's ever-present cockiness, something Remy did not take overly well to in his own bar. But today, Damon needed to find Klaus, and he knew he wouldn't get a word out of the Spaniard if he started the conversation by snapping at him. So he just nodded and tried to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

"Remy. Have you seen Klaus by any chance? Has he been here?"

"Lost him, have you?" Remy smiled, a little too smugly for Damon's taste, but he just ignored it to the best of his ability.

"I need to find him. So have you seen him, yes or no?" he asked, not quite able to suppress a hint of impatience after all.

After a pause during which he scrutinized Damon closely, Remy sighed and stopped cleaning the bar counter. "He was here this morning, maybe two or three hours ago, looking worse for wear. He had a few drinks, didn't say a word and left again."

"Any ideas as to where I could look for him?"

Remy hesitated. It was clear he wasn't comfortable giving away any information, and even less so if it concerned Klaus. With a shrug, Damon pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. "Elijah? No, I haven't found him yet. I'm at Remy's, and our Chief Executive Hybrid appears to have been here this morning, but the Spanish gentleman doesn't seem too eager to share any information. Yes, I… hang on a minute," he smiled when he saw Remy raise his hands in defeat. "He might just have changed his mind. I'll call you back later."

He stowed the phone and looked at Remy with a sneer. "So?"

Visibly annoyed, Remy snapped, "You might want to try the bars off Martin Luther King Boulevard. If he's really out of it, and from the way he looked this morning I think we can safely assume that he is, go to Esplanade. There is a nameless little side alley, about the level of Prieur Street, where you will find what is arguably the most run-down shack in all of New Orleans. If he isn't there, either, there is one more place out in one of the bayous. Ask Kol how to get there, he's a regular."

Damon grinned. "Was that so hard?" He could see Remy was fighting the impulse to throw an ashtray at him. Instead, the Spaniard settled for an arrogant grin of his own.

"How did you manage to lose him, anyway?" he inquired. "Badass Damon Salvatore, who can never be outsmarted?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Damon countered, "but if it has escaped your notice, that guy is the damn Original Hybrid. He is Supervamp. He is harder to herd than cats when he doesn't want to be herded. And trust me, he doesn't." With that, he turned around and headed for the door when Remy's voice stopped him.

"Damon."

He looked over his shoulder, surprised at finding the smugness gone from Remy's face as the bartender murmured, "Find her. He is falling off the wagon without her, big time, which is the last thing anyone should let happen to Klaus of all people. And she needs him just as much. Wherever she went, she is alone, and as everyone knows she is his wife, it is only a matter of time until someone might try to use her against him. There is no safer place for her than with him."

Now Damon turned around fully to have a closer look at Remy. Then his face lit up. "Oh, I see. Someone is a little infatuated with the Empress, isn't that right?" he snickered, having the satisfaction of seeing the Spaniard look slightly embarrassed. "You better make sure no one tells His Majesty. I doubt you would see another dawn." He gave Remy another nod before he left.

* * *

Klaus was leaning on the counter of the dreary little bar hidden off Esplanade. After having roamed just about all of New Orleans' nightly playgrounds for weeks on end with Damon, who he knew had been assigned by Elijah to babysit him, he had quietly escaped from the house early this morning after another agonizing night. His nightmares about Henrik had become all but unbearable ever since Caroline had left, and they exhausted him. It had been the same every single night – it started off with dreams of _her_, beautiful, sweet images of her soft body in his arms, her quiet voice whispering loving words and promises. He always relaxed in his sleep when he was dreaming of her. Then those peaceful pictures turned into nightmares of his younger brother, about how he had been tortured and killed, about how Klaus hadn't been able to save him. The dreams had always been haunting him, but now they had become even more graphic and heartbreaking. He woke up covered in sweat each morning, and every time, he turned to his side, reaching out for her like he used to after a nightmare, just to find he had woken up on the living room couch without her. It drove him crazy, but what was even worse was the way he missed her every waking minute of every day. Everything reminded him of her, and every fiber of him was hurting. He tried to just survive for minutes at a time, not able to think in the dimensions of hours, let alone days. He had kept his word towards Elijah and never attempted to turn it off again, but it was pure and unadulterated hell. This morning it had been so unbearable that he knew he needed to find an outlet for his pain, otherwise he would not have been able to stand upright any longer. So he had come here and had some… _fun_. Only that it had not been fun at all, and it had not relieved his agony in the very least.

He heard the door open and squeezed his eyes shut in exasperation. Damon had found him after all. Turning around very slowly, he looked at the older Salvatore who was just taking in the room. Klaus supposed he had to give the lad some credit for not appearing the least bit surprised. Which was probably why Elijah had chosen him as a watchdog in the first place. For what it was worth, Damon did never judge.

About half a dozen lifeless bodies were scattered around the filthy joint, and he was as covered in blood as were most of his victims. They were still alive, as he had considered going for another round should they happen to come to again, but if someone wasn't going to heal them, they would be dead very soon. It was not that Klaus cared whether they lived or died. He lifted his glass in Damon's general direction and swallowed its contents. Unconsciously, he crinkled his nose and saw Damon sniff the air with an expression of complete disgust.

"What's that stuff made of, rotten potatoes?" he inquired, pointing at Klaus' glass.

"Probably," the Original replied calmly. "Care for any?"

Damon shrugged. "Why not. Might make me throw up for the first time in over a hundred and sixty years, and we're always on the hunt for novelties, aren't we?" He approached the bar where Klaus was pouring some of whatever it was into a glass and holding it out. Damon slid onto the stool next to him. Before he took a sip of his drink, his gaze zeroed in on a small open plastic bag containing a little heap of white powder. He raised a brow and looked up at Klaus who watched him evenly.

"You're really out of it, aren't you, Jimi Hendrix? And you are aware that this stuff doesn't work on you for more than about five minutes? It's not that I haven't tried."

"The probation officer role does not become you, mate, so just cut through the lecture, will you?" Klaus muttered, grabbing the bag and pouring a small amount of powder onto his little finger.

"Hey," Damon protested, snatching the bag from Klaus, "don't confound me with your brother. Or mine, for that matter. I'm just miffed that I haven't been invited to the damn party and had to scour the entire town for you." With that, he copied Klaus, sniffing some of the powder himself. "Who'd you get this from?" he asked curiously.

The Original pointed at one of the lifeless figures next to the restroom door. "That one. I actually think he was planning on sending someone into oblivion as this," he nudged the little pack, "is not blended. Purest cocaine. It would have killed any human almost immediately, no matter how used to drugs."

"Well, in combination with this hooch it's probably going to kill us, too," Damon retorted, making a face at the taste of the liquor. "So what's going to happen with them?" He gestured around the room.

"I do not give a damn," Klaus shrugged, pouring himself another drink and downing it all at once.

Damon sighed. He knew he had been hired to be Klaus' badass partner in crime for a while, and despite the Original's gloominess, it hadn't been half bad most of the time. They had been roaming bars and nightclubs, drinking and bickering most of the time, feeding on whoever they found in the dark side streets of the city. But more than once, Damon had had to clean up the mess Klaus left behind, for the latter just didn't care in the least. The fate of the grimy men who had met their worst nightmare today was as little of a concern to him as it was to the Original Hybrid. But he knew Caroline. Not quite as well as he knew Elena, of course. Still – he did. When she and Klaus got back together, which he had no doubt whatsoever they would eventually, this was going to be a stumbling block for them. If Caroline learned that her husband had killed all those people just out of a whim, no matter what sort of scum they were, it would make things infinitely more difficult, which would probably result in even more babysitting time. And this kind of rampage always made the rounds in the supernatural community, so she would probably come to hear of it sooner or later once she was back. Not to mention the way more important fact that Elena would make his life a living hell if he allowed this to happen. Damon had no idea when he had become Klaus and Caroline's freaking couples' therapist. Probably Elena's fault, too. She had turned him into a damn sissy, and the worst of it was that he didn't even mind. With an indulgent smile at the thought of his girl and the time he hoped to be able to spend with her later in the day, he got off the stool and nonchalantly walked towards the first man.

"You know what, I think the damn coke is working better than I thought. I don't feel like massacres today. So why don't I just heal them and we're out of this disgusting joint? There is something I've wanted to bet on with you for ages, and today's just as good a day as any."

Klaus eyed him without interest. "And what would that be?" he replied listlessly.

Damon smiled crookedly. "Caligula won't throw me off ever again. I'll be able to remain on his back for as long as you say."

The Original lifted a corner of his mouth to give a lopsided, humourless smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What are the stakes?" he asked while Damon was feeding the third man his blood, trying not to flinch at the stench. Who in their right mind would ever buy their drug supplies from someone who reeked like an actual polecat?

"You win, I'll stop babysitting you. I win, you'll stop moping and letting everyone else do your work, Godfather."

Damon hoped to whatever higher power there was or wasn't that the older vampire would go for the bet. He would never admit it to anyone, least of all to Klaus himself, but he had grown to remotely like the Dark Lord. And although he could understand Klaus' state of mind, he knew that none of them would be able to get back to normal before Big Bad didn't snap out of his lethargy, and he had been out of it for far too long by now. It paralyzed them all somehow, unbelievable as the thought was to Damon. Notwithstanding that fact, he was getting seriously bored with his babysitting job when Klaus was in I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck mode.

The Original stared into his empty glass. After a while, he nodded. "Ten minutes, no saddle."

"Reins?"

"If you require them."

"You're on," Damon grinned. "Let me just text Elijah and tell him that despite my prayers, you're unfortunately not lost in space after all."

When he was done, he pocketed the phone and sighed. Now all he had to do was to convince that maniacal horse not to throw him off… again. _Piece of cake_.

* * *

Klaus leaned on the fence, watching his horse trot towards him. Caligula eyed him warily, and the black even seemed a little angry. Which was not overly surprising, given the fact that Klaus hadn't been back to see him ever since the day Caroline had… _left._ Stefan and Silv had taken turns feeding him before Elijah had finally hired a local man to take care of Caligula, but it was clear that it was not the same to the horse. A few yards from the fence, the stallion stopped and threw his head back, giving an indignant whicker. Something stirred very deep inside Klaus.

"I know," he whispered tonelessly. "I feel just like that."

Caligula approached him now, prodding him roughly. Klaus patted the black's head and once more, he felt something. The stallion didn't move and for a split second, Klaus rested his head against the horse. "Thank you, m'boy," he breathed almost inaudibly, earning a subdued huff from the animal.

Hearing Damon's steps behind him, he looked at Caligula for a moment and gave him another pat. He climbed the fence and grabbed the bridle Damon was holding out to him, putting it on the stallion without effort. Caligula was holding perfectly still, which struck Klaus as odd, but then he just turned to the younger vampire and gestured towards the horse.

"All yours, mate."

Damon stepped up to the fence, his eyes never leaving the black, and Klaus had the fleeting impression that the older Salvatore was actually swallowing. He climbed to sit on the fence. If he was very lucky, this could even take his mind off things for about five seconds.

Caligula was swishing his tail now, looking at Damon with something that could be called disdain. And a certain perfidiousness. Then his head moved towards Klaus again as if he was waiting for some sign, but the Original just shrugged. The stallion gave a whicker and stomped a hoof. Klaus had the distinct notion that Caligula was trying to get some sort of reaction from him. The black definitely had his uncanny moments.

Now Damon walked up to the animal and grabbed the reins. Klaus folded his arms over his chest, detachedly waiting for his horse to go berserk, the way the stallion usually did when anyone other than Klaus himself approached him.

But nothing happened.

The older Salvatore brother mounted Caligula in one quick jump – and the horse remained completely calm. Both men looked at each other in a moment of total astonishment. Even on Klaus' impassive face, something was moving now. Damon gave him a very wide grin and called, "Ten minutes, right?" before giving Caligula the spurs and making the black fall into a steady, regular trot. The two of them began circling the large paddock, and Klaus shook his head at the sight. Hadn't he known better, he would have suspected Caligula to be on drugs instead of Damon and himself.

With a deep frown, he watched Damon and his horse in perfect harmony, with the younger vampire giving him a lopsided sneer each time they passed him. What was going on with that bloody horse? After ten minutes, Damon halted the black next to Klaus and jumped off the stallion's back.

"Well, Cokehead, it seems even your horse is fed up with your wallowing in doom and gloom." He handed Klaus the reins. "Maybe you should get him back to normal before we recall you to life."

"Did you compel him, or what?" Klaus asked indignantly, his voice a little livelier now.

Damon snorted. "Do you seriously think me so low as to actually try and compel a _horse_?"

"Indeed I do." Klaus descended from the fence and took the reins. Caligula eyed him warily and threw his head back, neighing rather aggressively. The Original raised a brow. "What, now you're being your usual annoying self again? You need therapy, m'boy."

"Look who's talking!" Damon called after him. With a subdued hiss, Klaus leaped onto Caligula's back, and at that very moment, the stallion went ballistic. The way he customarily did. Shaking his head, Klaus gave him a few minutes to rage and rave before he tightened the reins and uncompromisingly took control.

"You have had your amusement. Get to work." He gave Caligula the spurs, and they raced from the back of the paddock towards where Damon was sitting on the fence. Klaus did not slow the stallion down, and the moment they jumped over the fence, he gave Damon a rough shove, making the younger vampire topple over backwards and land in the mud.

He did not look back when he heard Damon snap, "Asshole!" Caligula was flying now, and Klaus felt a split second of satisfaction at the speed. For the first time in weeks, his thoughts were remotely coherent, and he finally allowed himself to let the whirling questions surface that had plagued his subconscious so relentlessly. Here, now, on his horse's back, thinking of her became bearable. Very gradually, the lunatic he had turned into ever since she had left began to transform into a deeply saddened, desperate, heartbroken, lonely man – but a man whose thoughts were finally rational again.

What had Elijah said? Something had been off about Caroline when she had spoken to Remy and handed him her rings. The bartender hadn't believed a word she had said which he had confirmed to both Elijah and Stefan. Still… how could she not have trusted him to find a solution for whatever the problem was? How could she not have known he would always protect her from anything, no matter the price he would have to pay? Why had she left him, knowing he loved her more than he would ever be able to express with words? Knowing that the loss of her would be worse than death for him? Gods, his heart was so heavy, he felt like it was about to pull him down from the horse and send him crashing into the ground!

He spurred Caligula on, lost in thought, giving the stallion free rein to choose whatever direction he wanted. His hand flew up to his Signum, like it did every morning and every night. She was alive, that much was certain. But where had she gone? What was she doing? Did she… miss him at all? Did she yearn for his arms like he craved hers? Did she turn around in her sleep like she had so many countless times, searching for the warmth of his body, only to find emptiness now? His stomach clenched at the thought of how they had always slept in each other's embrace… how sweet it had been to open his eyes and find her lovely face so close to his.

_'I love you, Niklaus.' _

Gods, he needed to hear her say it again. She had said it a hundredfold, and he had never tired of hearing it, never stopped marveling at how she had made everything inside him come undone whenever she had whispered those little words. The pain of longing was burning inside him like hellfire, and he remembered someone saying once that having owned something precious and losing it was a far greater agony than never having owned anything at all. How utterly true.

"Caroline," he whispered, his words carried away by the wind as soon as he uttered them, "you lied to me. You promised you would never let me go again. Why? Why did you leave me when you knew I can't live without you, my love? You knew that everything inside me would die if I ever lost you."

His voice broke a little, and Caligula seemed to sense he was on the verge of losing it again. The black sped up, heading towards the woods. He mercilessly brushed through the undergrowth, never breaking his gallop. Twigs and branches were scraping Klaus' face, leaving little scratches and bruises that healed instantly. When Caligula grazed a tree, almost slamming Klaus into a massive branch, it finally made him snap out of his beginning trance again. _Get a hold on yourself. You cannot carry on like this, Niklaus, and you know that. You have waited far too long already. Make a choice. Let go of everything or return to coherency, but stop hovering somehwhere inbetween. _He slowed down the stallion and led him out of the forest, back into the open. The air had freshened, and the breeze on his face made him close his eyes and focus on his senses.

_Make a choice._

When he finally returned to the paddock, he saw that Damon was no longer alone. Elijah was standing next to him, arms crossed, his gaze firmly on the approaching horse. Without a word, Klaus led Caligula back into the paddock and removed the bridle. When he patted the black's neck, the stallion nudged his shoulder and huffed.

"You're crazy, m'boy," he mumbled softly, giving Caligula another pat. "Crazy." He closed his eyes for an instant before turning around to face his brother. Elijah was looking at him intently, clearly evaluating his state of mind. After a moment, his older sibling's eyes seemed to light up.

"Are you ready now, Niklaus?" he asked quietly. Damon was watching the scene, covered in mud, hands in his pockets, a sour expression on his face.

Klaus took a few measured steps in his brother's direction. Only an hour ago, this question would have been beyond obsolete. But something had changed. Whether it had been the ride, the way his horse seemed to _care_ for him, how he had found himself in the midst of a cheap, run-down joint, covered in blood, downing cheap booze, sniffing cocaine and behaving like a pathetic suicide candidate, or a combination of all factors – he was back to basic functioning. The non-life he had led over the past few weeks ever since Caroline had left him was not what he wanted. He wanted her back. Whatever had made her leave, he would find out what it was and remove the problem from the equation. But first of all, he would scour the ends of the Earth for her. He would never rest until he had found his light again.

Yes. He was ready. He had chosen.

"Answer me one question, brother," Klaus replied now, his voice as quiet as Elijah's.

"Of course."

"Did you actually _compel_ my horse?"

Elijah just raised a brow and tsked. "Now would that not be a particularly cheap trick?"

And with a wicked smile, he turned around and walked towards his car.

* * *

Klaus stepped out of the shower, trying to battle down the memories of his last morning with Caroline. How she had stood in front of him beneath the warm water, eyes closed, her hands slowly running over every inch of his body as if she was confining it to memory, hiding in his arms, not wanting to let him go. _And I should never have let you go, my love._

The night had exhausted him again, and Klaus had awoken on the living room couch, bathed in sweat, like every morning. He could still not bear to sleep in their room. His dreams of her had been very colourful, very real, showing him their wedding night on Aitutaki. How he had held her all night, not moving, just being huddled together in a lounge chair, the Southern stars above them. It had felt like nothing could ever break them apart again. The thought brought him a quick memory of peace, but it was gone before he could truly grasp it, making space for a shudder at the remembrance of the dream that had followed. The ever-recurring nightmare of Henrik was something he had experienced regularly for over six hundred years, but the length of time had never done anything to lessen its impact on him. Ever since he had opened up to Caroline – and then to his siblings – about the agony his brother had had to go through, the frequency of his nightmares as well as the intensity of the dreams had actually diminished. He had turned to Caroline whenever one of the visions had awoken him, and he had invariably found tranquility and solace in her arms. But now… now that she was gone, the effect of the dreams was worse than ever.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then he opened them again and reached for a towel, wrapping it around his hips and lifting his gaze to the mirror. At the very same instant, he froze. It had been weeks since he had got a good look of himself, but it was not his scruffy appearance, his waxen face or the dark shadows under his eyes that caught his attention.

His Signum had paled.

Klaus stopped breathing as he examined the two round marks on his neck. The basic colour was still purple, but it was no longer the bright, intense shade it had been when he had last seen the spots. He had touched them every day to make sure she was alive, but he had never _looked_ at them. What was the meaning of this? The colour had changed with the growing strength of their bond, turning from a light red into a deep nuance of purple over the months. Did this mean their attachment was waning? His love for her was stronger than ever, but were her feelings for him gradually disappearing?

In a whir, he was at the door to the hallway. The rooms had been sound-proofed long ago, so no one would hear him from inside. He took a step into the corridor and whispered in a strangled voice, "Elijah."

He was back in front of the mirror immediately, not able to take his eyes off the two little bite marks. A moment later, his brother appeared in the doorframe, gazing at him questioningly. Klaus looked up at him through the mirror and silently pointed at his Signum. The older Original's eyes narrowed as he approached his brother to examine the spots more closely.

"She is… letting go of me, Elijah. The bond is weakening," he murmured, the pain almost choking him now that he was actually voicing his fear.

Elijah straightened and shook his head. "Rationality, brother. If that was the case, the colour would be changing back to red again. No, I am afraid this is something else, although no less worrisome." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing to speak very slowly. "I believe this means her life is slowly fading."

Klaus' eyes widened, and he frantically gripped the vanity for support. "No," he gasped in acute agony. "Gods, no!"

"Calm down, brother. We do not know for certain if this is really it, but we will need to take it into account. She is not dead, for in that event the Signum would be gone. That leaves two possibilities – Caroline has either been bitten by a werewolf, or she has not been feeding for a very long time. Knowing my sister-in-law to a certain extent, I tend to assume the latter, which means the mark will be back to normal at some point in the very near future, once she has taken care of her basic nourishment needs."

A deep despair in his eyes, Klaus ran his hands through his hair. "I have to find her, Elijah. What you said is reasonable, and I will not be considering the werewolf option, for I will not be able to function if I imagine her dying. I have not been able to function over the last weeks as it is, I am fully aware of that. If, as everyone seems to assume, she did indeed not want to leave, I need to show her she has nothing to fear at my side. Whatever it is that happened, I have to see her again." His face showed all of his torment when he turned around to look at his older brother. "I love her, Elijah. She is my humanity, my light, my _home._"

His sibling nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, Niklaus. And I love my sister, too, as does the entire family. We will find her and you will take her fears, whatever they are. But for once in your life, brother, do remember that you are not alone and have some faith in your family and friends to be at your side."

Klaus took a deep breath. "I will try."


	13. Beyond Tears

**Muito obrigada Brasil e Portugal! :)**

**Ana20, Pem, Justine and the anonymous reviewers - thanks for always reviewing, and for your kindness!  
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**As I received this question a couple of times via PM and reviews: Today, Sanctuaries stands at 48 chapters and little over 265.000 words. I might make a few cuts to some of the later chapters, but that's about the total length of the fic, so please, dearies - absolutely no worries about them spending some time apart now. Bear with me for a couple of days, as there is a LOT of story ahead! ;)  
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**And there might be a little Klaus/Caroline treat in today's chapter after all! ;)**

**THANKS to everyone who is always taking the time to read, review, favourite and follow, you guys are just fantastic!  
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**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

BEYOND TEARS

The Roaring Forties lived up to their name once more. The relentless winds swept across the breathtaking landscape and indiscriminately punished everything in their way – majestic mountains and glaciers, dark forests, crystalline lakes and rugged coastlines. However, the winds, known as some of the strongest and most unforgiving on the planet, had found their master in the untamed force of the South Atlantic Ocean. After a journey of thousands of miles, the troubled sea thundered violently against the cliffs, sending a fine layer of salt water spray far inland.

A lonely figure stood atop the steepest of the surrounding crags, unmoving, seemingly unperturbed by the howling tempest.

Caroline stared out at the raging sea. Under normal circumstances, she would have utterly enjoyed the onslaught of the elements. The merciless winds and raw forces of nature in this corner of the world would have made anyone feel alive, wild and proud to be a part of this incredible planet. Being exposed to the rough, untamed side of nature swiped the mind clean and heightened the senses, readjusting focus. But Caroline was past any appreciation for the magnificent scenery. She had chosen this place because of something _he_ had once said to her in Norway while he was talking about the special kind of magic Tromsø held for him.

_'The only other place that does this to me is actually Southern Patagonia.'_

There was magic here. Plenty of it. Caroline could seeit, but she could not _feel_ it. However stupid it sounded even to her, she had hoped she would sense Klaus' presence in a place that was so special to him. And she was hoping for something else, deep down in a small corner of her heart. She was hoping that despite everything, he would find her here one day, when he had defeated his enemies and was no longer in danger. She was hoping for a miracle.

Only that hope was not working for her at all. And miracles never happened.

A vacuum had been creeping up inside her ever since she had left. Klaus had given her a taste of how her life was meant to be, and Caroline found no way to cope with the all-consuming feeling of loss and emptiness – and the fear that he hated her now. The desire to be back in his protective arms, to be a part of his life and have him be a part of hers was devastating. She knew that she was not being herself, but she didn't have the strength or the energy inside her to find a way out of this, even though she was sure there had to be one. For the first time ever, she was completely letting herself go, and although some tiny part of her was ashamed of how she was handling – or rather _not _handling – the situation, she couldn't bring herself to be Caroline Mikaelson again. Everything she had done since the minute she had left him had been totally out of character for her, and she no longer recognized herself. It was also clear that he would move on at some point, as he needed to. But that thought almost killed her. It felt like a bleeding open wound that refused to heal, and she knew she was on the brink of losing it completely. The storm raging inside her was no less destructive than the Roaring Forties themselves.

She spent her days – and most of her nights, for that matter – contemplating the sea and attempting to come to terms with her exile. No one would ever bother her here, and the Argentinians living in this far removed wilderness were a rough people who mostly kept to themselves and were respecting of privacy. For the first time in her entire life, she was truly alone. Lonely she had been, for most of her existence actually, but there had always been someone around her to distract her from the inner emptiness. Her mother, her friends, her classmates… she had never been this solitary. It was not that she minded the isolation, though. She couldn't think of a single topic to talk about, so what would she need company for?

Once or twice, when exhaustion had caught up with her, she had compelled her way into some small, rustic hotel to have a bed for a few hours. Other than that, she had no place to stay and no real wish to find one, although something told her very incessantly that she couldn't go on spending her nights and days just standing on the cliffs and staring at the South Atlantic.

And there was another issue Caroline would need to face sooner or later. The last time she had fed had been from Klaus back at home. That last night… _their_ last night. _Don't go there. Just don't. _She hadn't eaten or fed in weeks and it was starting to take a heavy toll on her. There were no cravings whatsoever, but a faint look at her hands showed her she was beginning to desiccate. She was mildly surprised that she had actually lasted this long. Caroline hadn't looked in a mirror ever since she had arrived, and she could only imagine her reflection. It didn't interest her in the least. But she would have to find a permanent roof over her head and some blood to fill her system, even if she didn't actually care whether she lived or died.

_Tomorrow. Or the day after. Not now._

Caroline raised her face. The raging cold air hit her with its full force, and she welcomed it wholeheartedly. She hadn't been feeling any kind of warmth ever since she had left New Orleans, so to hell with it. The sky was a deep charcoal grey, with clouds seemingly travelling at the speed of sound, and she had the distinct notion that if anyone was to paint her soul, this was what it would look like. Dark, stormy, grey and cold.

She closed her eyes, opened her arms as if to embrace the end of the world, and let the storm have her.

* * *

The minuscule wooden house on the shores of the Beagle Channel, about fifteen miles from Ushuaia, was far removed from roads and any other dwellings. The view across the icy waters of the Channel towards the snow-capped mountains of the Isla de Navarino, already a part of Chile, was breathtakingly lovely, but then so was everything in this corner of the world. It was rough, craggy and wild, monumental and vast in its beauty. With all that was left of her heart, Caroline wished she would develop an eye for the wonders of nature again. Maybe someday, if she ever returned to some basic level of living.

She had found the abandoned house during one of her aimless wanderings along the shoreline. Without really expecting anything, she had tentatively set a foot across the threshold, only to be mildly surprised at the fact that she could actually enter the place. Judging from that fact and the state of decay, the little cottage had not seen any inhabitants for very many years and no longer belonged to anyone, so she could safely assume nobody would come to claim it anytime soon. Not that it would have made any difference. Caroline had stared at the humble abode for a very long time, her mind blank, devoid of any emotion. Then she had slowly begun considering. She really needed a roof over her head after weeks of vagabonding, and she had already dismissed the idea of compelling her way into taking permanent residence in one of the little inns and guesthouses sparsely scattered about the area. It would mean human interaction on a regular basis, even if only for the purpose of compulsion, and that was out of the question. She did not want to see or speak to anyone if she could help it at all.

Gazing at the decomposing place, she made a decision. She would compel a couple of men from the little town to restore and refurbish the house with some essential stuff like a bed, maybe a table and a chair. Running warm water would be nice. And she would have them install a little wooden bench in front of the place so she could sit and gaze out at the sea, watching the passing ships and thinking of nothing. _Sittin' on the dock of the bay, watching the time roll away… ugh, why am I thinking of that crappy song now?_

Before anything else, however, she would have to feed. Over the last couple of days, she had started to feel so weak that even walking at human speed was beginning to exhaust her. The desiccation was now clearly visible on her hands and arms, her skin turning grayish and sallow, and she could only imagine what her face looked like. There was no way she could be seen in this state, therefore she needed to find someone to feed on before setting foot in Ushuaia. _What am I thinking? Some_one_ to feed on? I have to go bunny hunting… but I bloody don't care. Whatever it is. Or rather, whoever it is._

Some deeply buried part of her consciousness couldn't quite believe she was actually thinking like this. But the bigger part, the one that was front and center, simply shrugged. Feeding was a necessity, and if a bunny crossed her path, fine, she would feed on it. If she encountered a human first, just as well. It was of no consequence, even though a little voice inside her told her otherwise.

For many hours, she wandered west along the coastline, walking slowly, letting the ever-present wind ruffle her ragged garments. _Need new clothes, too. Some basic stuff. _When daylight began to fade, she reached a small gathering of houses, grouped around a little pond a few hundred yards from the shore. There was light in one of the places, and Caroline directed her steps towards the warm glow, ignoring the faint rush of memories that coursed through her. Warmth. _Klaus._ Shaking off the unwanted thought, she concentrated on the sounds coming from the little cottage. Two humans. One on the west side of the house, outside. Garden! Good. The other one… inside, climbing a flight of stairs. _Come on. It's now or never. You have to feed._

With what was left of her supernatural strength, Caroline raced around the house and flashed towards the garden. A middle-aged woman was staring at her in horror, her mouth opening, but it was too late. Caroline had sunk her fangs into the woman's neck, clapping a hand over her mouth and greedily drinking the warm blood, immediately feeling her strength return. And there was a sudden surge of… rage. The same kind of bloodlust she had experienced right after she had been turned. Rigidly keeping herself in check, she tried to drink with a little more moderation. Still, even now, when her vampire instincts had completely taken over, she couldn't help but compare the taste of this blood to _his._ A sob threatened to escape her at the memory of her lips on his soft skin, the divine sensation of his rich, spicy blood flooding her mouth… _No!_ She hadn't allowed herself a single tear ever since she had left, and she wouldn't start now. Hearing a sound behind her, she swung the woman around to see a man in the terrace door, his eyes wide with terror. Within the blink of an eye, she dropped the woman and slammed the man into the wall. Her pupils dilated, and she dug up some of her school Spanish in the hope she wouldn't be accidentally compelling him to sell his wife to some passing sailors.

"Voy a curar a tu mujer, y no te acordarás de nada. Los dos vais a seguir con vuestras vidas como si nada hubiera pasado. Si me vuelves a ver algún día, no me vas a reconocer."

The man nodded. "No me acordaré de nada. Nunca te he visto."

Caroline relaxed and returned to the woman who was still on the ground. She pulled her up and drank for another while before she bit her wrist and held it to the woman's lips, dilating her pupils and repeating the words she had said to the man earlier, about how they were not to remember any of what had happened. When the woman nodded, Caroline jerked her head towards her wrist.

"Bebe. Mi sangre te curará." _Drink. My blood will heal you. _

As she left, both the woman and her husband were staring after her, wide-eyed. Caroline lowered her head and jumped over the fence.

"Lo siento."

_I am sorry._

* * *

With her full vampire strength recovered, Caroline flashed towards Ushuaia at superhuman speed. When she arrived, she was taken aback by how busy the city actually was. After all those weeks of solitude and silence, it hit her like a train wreck. One look at the port told her the reason for the commotion. Two large cruise ships had docked and tourists were swarming the streets, hunting for souvenirs, food and drink. Noticing a couple of passers-by openly staring at her, she frowned and moved towards a large store window to gaze at her reflection.

_Not a good idea._

She didn't recognize herself. The woman staring at her from the glass front had to be a stranger. Her hair was dull and stringy, falling into her face in unruly strands, her clothes were all but disintegrating and she looked like she had spent months crouching through the jungles in search of the Lost Ark. And… her face. She was white as a sheet, dark circles underneath her eyes, and she looked hollow and haggard like a junkie. Even she could see the despair oozing from her in waves. Well, there was nothing she could do about that, but she would definitely get herself some new clothes and find a place to sleep tonight. For a fleeting moment, she felt guilty about all the compulsion that was necessary, and she was sure that if she ever got back to being ten percent of her old self, she would feel even more remorseful, but for now, she couldn't really bring herself to care.

A couple of hours later, she had 'shopped' for some basic clothes and found a hotel about three miles outside of Ushuaia. It was relatively solitary, located on a small hill overlooking the Channel. Once again, she felt an instant of guilt as she compelled the owners, a lovely couple in their mid-thirties who were so warm and welcoming that Caroline suddenly felt a rush of deep longing for family, friends and home. For _him._ Pushing away the thought, she turned her attention back to the hotel owners who spoke perfect English, so it was no problem whatsoever to compel them into believing Caroline had prepaid her stay and would be here for a couple of weeks, no questions asked, no disturbances. She was shown to a lovely, cozy room with a panoramic window facing the Channel. There was a bathroom with a large tub, and Caroline couldn't help a longing sigh at the sight of it. She had not felt the need for anything during her weeks in the great outdoors, but being inside a comfortable, clean room with a bath and a large bed stirred something in her.

Stripping off her battered garments, she stuffed them into a plastic bag, dumping them in the trash. Avoiding the mirror, she stepped into the bathtub she had filled to the brink with hot water and bubbles. _Oh my God. _She closed her eyes and did not open them again for another hour, submerged in the warm water and the fresh scent, letting her senses soak up the soothing effect of the bath.

When she climbed into the plush bed a short while later, pulling the covers around herself and sinking into the pillow, her last thought before drifting off to sleep was that she would have a bathtub installed in the little house. A bath every now and then wouldn't be too much to ask of life, would it?

With a fleeting touch to her Signum, the comforting knowledge that he was alive sent her into blissful unconsciousness.

* * *

_Her eyes were closed, and she reveled in the warmth of the water. Before her bath, she had lit dozens of candles that were now surrounding the tub, the flickering light adding to the comforting atmosphere of the bathroom. With a sigh, she let her hands sink under the surface of the water, absently running them over her arms and stomach. _

_"Do you mind if I join you, my love?" a very familiar, dark voice murmured with a delicious British accent. Caroline's eyes popped wide open, and her heart almost burst at the sight of him, completely naked, gazing down at her with so much love in his eyes it nearly made her cry._

_"What kind of a stupid question is that?" she smiled, holding out her hand to him. He took it and stepped into the bathtub, kneeling in front of her, gently moving her legs so they came to rest on either side of his. Her breath caught at the sensation of his strong hands softly stroking her thighs and at seeing his eyes resting on the tips of her breasts that were just barely emerging from the water. Very slowly, his hands made their way from her legs, and then she felt his fingertips softly caressing the skin right underneath her breasts. With a low moan, she leaned back and stretched in pleasure – and she did of course not make her breasts emerge from the water on purpose! _

_With a groan, he bent down and let his tongue circle one of her nipples. "You think you can seduce me, my little devil?" he purred, his voice pure and unadulterated temptation. Caroline gave him another loving smile before she stretched again, on purpose this time, shivering at how his mouth devoured every exposed inch of her breasts with a hunger that mirrored her own. _

_"I already have, haven't I? Or can you still stop now?" she teased, squeezing his hands that had inconspicuously moved to her backside, gently kneading and stroking, making her moan and bite her lip in anticipation. _

_"I can if you can," he challenged with a sparkle in his eyes, but they both knew the truth. Neither of them could. The minute they put their hands on each other, they were lost. Each and every single time. Pulling his lips back to her breast, Caroline shook her head. She needed him now, she needed his force, his power, his passion. His love._

_"Don't you dare." And with that, she took his face in her hands and leaned down to meet him, her lips closing over his, her tongue assaulting his violently. All of a sudden, she felt his hands in her hair, but for once, it was not to caress. He pulled her head back, so hard it was just on the verge of being painful, hovering over her for a moment before he crushed his lips to hers again, taking her, _owning_ her. His hands pushed her back against the tub, trapping her between it and his hard, sinewy body. God, it drove her so deliciously crazy when he took charge like this! _

_Caroline let her hand glide down between them until she felt his velvety cock beneath her fingers. Closing her hand around him, she gently rested the tip of his massive length against her entrance and began to slowly but very determinedly stroke him, never letting him enter her more than half an inch. His deep, guttural growl made her close her eyes in sheer delight. Oh, how she loved the way he was turned on by everything she did to him! And even more did she adore the way he was never afraid to show his helpless desire for her. Increasing her movements, she made him slip a little further into her with each pump – falling into her own trap, for the incomparable feeling of his cock inside her was making her dizzy._

_"Oh Gods, sweetheart, I swear you are being the death of me," he grated, gasping for breath and staring into her eyes with the same mad desire she felt inside herself. Caroline started to pull him further into her, still pumping, and pumping hard now. All of a sudden, she found her hands on the rims of the tub, trapped in his steel grip, and he slammed into her in a deep, violent thrust. Water splashed all around them, but neither of them noticed._

_"Again?" he asked roughly, his eyes burning into hers._

_"Yes, dammit!" Caroline exclaimed. She didn't care that she was almost screaming at him, as long as he just took her. It made her feel so incredibly alive! Securing her arms against the tub, his hips smashed into hers again and again, his cock filling her to the hilt, water sloshing all over the bathroom with his frantic thrusts._

_"Yes," she just cried, "yes, Niklaus! Don't… stop… oh _God!_"_

_Klaus was gasping with every move now, her passionate moans only spurring him on. "You're mine, my angel, don't you ever forget that," he groaned. "No one can love you as endlessly as I do. Say it!"_

_Caroline's back arched, and her breasts brushed his chest, making them both give a loud hiss. "You're the one. The only. No one else will ever touch me again until my dying day." Her eyes narrowed, desire blazing out of them like red fire. "So why don't you show me how no one can _fuck_ me the way you do?"_

_She hadn't quite finished the sentence when he pulled up her legs to shove them over the edges of the tub before plunging into her endless depths again. His hands moved to both sides of her head, gripping the tub. "Shouldn't have said that," he choked out before he pounded into her so hard it brought an actual crack to the tub. Caroline gave a little outcry, but it wasn't pain or shock. It was raw, animalistic need for her man. Klaus took her so mercilessly now that every thrust sent her right into oblivion, making her forget everything but the sensation of his hot, hard cock inside her and her own raging desire._

_Her fangs pierced his skin right at his chest, and her tongue played with his nipple while she began to suck his dark, rich blood into her mouth. "Hell, Caroline, _yes!_ Ah, I… just can't…" _

_The moment she felt him explode deep inside her, she tumbled over the cliff and fell, fell, fell. The abyss was endless, but she knew it was the safest place in the world. _He _was the safest place in the world._

_"I love you, Niklaus."_

She heard herself whisper the words when she awoke from her dream, sweating, panting, undone. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and after the beautiful dream that still held her body captive, reality hit her mind just that much harder.

The pain was so excruciating that she couldn't do anything but curl into a ball, wrap her arms around herself and try to let it wash over her somehow. His body had felt so wonderful, so familiar and strong, and even if the lovemaking in her dream had been very rough, everything about him had exuded love, warmth and the intensity of their bond.

_Caroline. No tears. You must not allow yourself to cry. Once you start, you'll never be able to stop again. Try to… see this dream as a beautiful memory. A sanctuary of your feelings for him and his feelings for you. No one can take that from you. But don't allow any of it to ever see the daylight. _

It was one of those moments when the thought of turning it off was almost as appealing as his fresh, warm blood. Heightened emotions were all good and well as long as they were positive, but the weight of her agony and fear had all but crushed her since she had left. Most of her energy had gone into suppressing any sort of emotion, not allowing reason, and turning it off would have been so much easier! But every single time the idea had crossed her mind, she had dismissed it immediately. Even if the pain was beyond unbearable, she never wanted to lose what her feelings for Klaus meant to her. They were what was left of her light. And her light was the one thing he had first fallen in love with. However diminished that glow may be by now, she would never give it up completely. It was her one link to him.

The tears were rising inside her again. Choking out a strangled breath, she rolled over and grabbed the pencil that was sitting on the nightstand.

_No, you won't win, stupid tears. _

Without making a single sound, she rammed the crayon right into her hand.


	14. The Name of the Game

**बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया - Thanks to all readers in India! :)  
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**Dearies, I apologize - I usually respond to all reviews before posting a new chapter, but tonight, I might not manage to reply to everyone who so graciously commented. Sorry about that, I will try to do it first thing tomorrow morning! :)**

**Again, thanks to all of you!  
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**Please enjoy the new chapter, and as you know, I plain adore your reviews!  
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**XX**

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE NAME OF THE GAME

Klaus awoke with a start, finding himself disorientated and _very_ aroused, something he hadn't felt ever since Caroline had left. He had been dreaming of her every night and some of those dreams had been erotic in nature, but this one was different. It had not felt like a dream, more like a strange thing between a memory and a film. Running a hand through his hair, he tried to find his way to reality, even though he would have loved nothing more than to return to that overwhelming dream and continue to make love to his beautiful woman until they could both no longer utter their own names.

He was not sleeping on the living room couch anymore but he had moved into one of the numerous guest rooms, still not able to stand the thought of the bed he had shared with his wife. With a heavy sigh, he rose and stepped into the adjacent bathroom, turning on the faucet and splashing some handfuls of ice-cold water onto his burning face. Grabbing a towel, he fleetingly looked into the mirror, and his eyes widened.

The Signum was back to its intense shade of purple, just the way it had been.

Very slowly, Klaus lifted a hand to touch the mark, wanting to make certain he was not hallucinating. He leaned towards the mirror, turning on the overhead lights, and stared at the two spots for a very long time. Squeezing his eyes shut, he let the relief wash through him like a torrent. She was alive and well! His Caroline was unharmed. Elijah had apparently been right about her not having fed for a very considerable length of time. After a few minutes of sweet deliverance, he felt a sudden rush of anger.

How could she do this? How could she put herself in danger like this? It had been _weeks! _Why hadn't she fed, why had she been so reckless? What if at some point, she would have grown so weak that she would no longer have been able to move? How was he supposed to focus on anything if in addition to the perils that loomed just about everywhere, she was so blatantly neglecting her needs that she represented a danger to herself?

With a deep snarl, Klaus grabbed a little crystal bowl and smashed it into the mural with all his might, causing the splinters to fly all through the room like a little rain shower of glass. When that did not make him feel any better, he rammed his fist into the wall, sending heaps of tiles to the floor. After another two blows, he decided there was no satisfaction to be gained from beating up a rather indifferent wall, so he stormed out of the room, dead set upon venting his wrath on the first person he came across, preferably Salvatore the Elder.

When he burst into the study, he found Stefan on the couch, immersed in a book, a glass of Cognac next to him. He looked up at Klaus questioningly, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the black rage on the Original's face. His voice was very calm when he put down his book and took his glass.

"Sorry, Klaus, you will have to stuff it, because I am not going to let you take it out on me, whatever it is that's eating you."

"I wonder how you are going to impede that," Klaus snapped, still tensed to pounce.

Stefan just shrugged. "Throw me into the walls all you want, but I'm not going to fight you. And I'm pretty sure that before you manage to tear the house to shreds, your big brother will put a dagger in your heart." He leaned forward, looking at Klaus intently. "What is it, Klaus? What happened that you're suddenly so keen on having someone's guts for garters?"

Torn between his urgent desire to inflict pain or destroy valuables and the need to calm down and look at things rationally, Klaus finally exhaled and gazed at Stefan. "She is being unnecessarily reckless, and I can't deal with her putting herself in danger."

The younger vampire rose from the couch, walked to the liquor cabinet and poured a second glass of Cognac. Handing it to Klaus, he took his own drink and asked, "How do you know?"

Without a word, the Original pointed at his Signum. Stefan's eyes widened. "It's back to its old bright colour. Shouldn't that be good news?"

"It means that Elijah's theory is accurate and she hasn't been feeding. For _weeks_, Stefan! She doesn't take care of herself, and she doesn't think about what could happen if she lost her strength. I have no idea where she is and what she is doing, and it is driving me insane to know she does not give a damn about looking after herself."

Stefan was silent for a moment. "I understand that. Believe me, I do. Both Caroline and Elena have the fatal tendency to forget about taking care of themselves from time to time, and I'm more than glad that your sister is virtually indestructible. Look at how Caroline came back to the dungeons in Tiffauges, even though you had told her not to and she had to confront Mikael of all people. It doesn't matter that it was all part of your I'm-the-Big-Bad-Hybrid-and-I-trust-no-one plan B. The only thing she cared about at that moment was to save you, Klaus. And that is something you will have to get used to, because it will never change. If she thinks you're in danger, she will do just about anything to…" He stopped when Klaus suddenly straightened up and stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Of course, that is actually it!" he muttered, abashed. "How can I have been so utterly stupid? That is why she left! She must have thought I was in some sort of acute peril, and leaving me was the only way to save me!" He downed his drink and buried his face in his hands, his voice dripping with agony. "Hell, Caroline, how could you not have come to me?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Stefan was silent for a while, thinking. "Sounds plausible. Very plausible, actually. So that means…"

"… someone has threatened my life to lure her away from me, and for good. That someone…"

"… has either an axe to grind or wants something from you. Maybe even both. And while there are quite a lot of candidates with either of those motivations, not everyone would dare to defy you. And that someone must be in the area or have been here the day she left. That someone…"

"… is called Marcel," Klaus hissed grimly, rising from his seat and beginning to pace the room. "Also something I should have seen at the very first second. He must have made her believe he has found a way to kill me and survive my death, or something similarly threatening." He cast a quick appreciative glance at Stefan. "We still work well together, do we not?"

The younger Salvatore grinned. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Klaus lifted a corner of his mouth before he resumed his walk through the study.

_Hell. _He should have seen this immediately, and he was very seriously asking himself just how out of it he had been that he could have blocked out all facts so easily. He had been so hurt – he still was – and he hadn't been able to focus on anything other than his own sorrow, his feeling of loss and betrayal and his desperate fear of loneliness. All of this had made him completely ignore that Caroline was a martyr with a helper syndrome. His old insecurities had led him to believe that she had really changed her mind about him because he was still unable to fully grasp the miracle of someone truly choosing him, loving him, wanting him. For keeps. Even after all those months she had shown it to him every single day. He was such a prize idiot, and his brother had predicted he would behave exactly the way he had. Shaking his head at himself, he stopped his incessant pacing and poured himself another drink. He needed some time to think, to elaborate a plan. Although he had no idea what Marcel was after, he would still begin to work out a strategy. To find Caroline and to take down his former protégé when the time was right. If he killed him now – and the Gods knew he was more than yearning to do just that, slowly and cruelly – he would never find out what it was, for there had to be something more to this than merely weakening him by forcing Caroline to leave. No, he would deal with Marcel once Caroline was safe and his mind was back to its normal functionality, otherwise he was prone to make mistakes.

"Do me a favour, mate," Klaus said, turning towards Stefan. "Tell everyone to be here at seven tonight."

As he walked towards the door, grabbing his car keys, he heard the younger Salvatore clear his throat. "Want me to join you?"

"I am no longer in need of a babysitter, Stefan," he replied coolly.

"When have I ever babysat you? I was merely asking if you wanted some company."

Now Klaus turned around fully to look at the younger Salvatore. Stefan gazed back at him evenly, and Klaus recognized his words for what they were. A peace offer. At very long last. For the first time in weeks, a small, genuine smile appeared on his face. "I was going to see Caligula and go for a ride. I have quite some thinking to do, and I won't be in much of a talking mood."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Hello? It's not like I have suddenly turned into a chatterbox." He pointed at himself. "Salvatore, broody edition, remember?"

After a short moment of silence, Klaus nodded. "Let's find you a horse."

* * *

Everyone was gathered in the study. Klaus could not help but think that they could just as well refurbish it into a conference room. He hadn't been back in command for more than a day, but it felt reassuring to have his mind engage in things other than pain and longing. It was absolutely unforgivable just how long it had taken him to get back on track, giving in to his weaknesses and insecurities instead. He was well aware of his shortcomings, but from now on, he would take charge again. Clearing his throat, he rose, glass in hand.

"I realize that I have not been very… _present_ lately, and my – shall we call it absence? – has not been overly helpful. Something like that is not going to happen again, and from now on, I shall be putting all of myself into tracking down Caroline." Looking around at the congregation of very relieved faces, he took a sip of his Bordeaux. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. Here he was, surrounded and supported by family and friends, whereas his lovely girl who was usually at the very center of their little group, was all by herself. The thought made him cringe – he had to bring her back, and soon. She was not a lone wolf, and she most definitely did not deserve to be alone.

"Elijah tells me that all of you have been trying to gather information over the past few weeks and for that, I would like to thank you. Would you mind sharing with me what you have found out so far?" With that, he sat down again and gazed at Elijah. "Brother?"

The older Original gave a quick nod, and Klaus could see the gleam of approval in his brother's eyes at his businesslike demeanour. "As you know, I was the one to speak to Remy first, right after Caroline left. It would seem she asked him to call me rather than you, as he feared you would probably kill the messenger."

"He has known me for a while."

Elijah smiled. "So has Caroline, I believe. Remy said she was extremely distraught, all but beside herself, and in a great hurry. Which leads me to believe that…"

"… she had a time limit to leave town," Klaus completed the sentence.

Inclining his head, Elijah took a sip of his Armagnac. "Exactly. And a very short window at that. So whoever is behind this, and I believe our thoughts go in the same direction, Niklaus, must have intercepted her right after you dropped her at campus. We can safely assume that she either left on foot or took a car. If the former, it would be hard to track her. If the latter, however, we might stand a realistic chance. I therefore compelled a very charming officer at NOPD to give me the records of every vehicle stolen in town that day." He took a sheet of paper from the table and held it out to Klaus. "Seven cars were reported missing. Out of those seven, four were actually stolen in Metairie, East New Orleans and Timberlane. So if Caroline was under time pressure, she would never have wandered that far. Which leaves three cars, two stolen in the Vieux Carré and one in Marigny. One of the three has been recuperated the very same day on the other end of town, so there are two possibilities left. One of them is a white BMW 545, the other a silver Toyota SUV."

"The Toyota." Klaus pointed at the list. "She wouldn't have chosen a relatively ostentatious car like a BMW which someone might remember, and chances are high that nobody recalls an everyday Toyota. Can we get a picture of that car?"

Silently, Elijah placed a printed photograph on the table. Klaus looked up at him, and for a short instant, he actually felt like hugging his brother. They shared a brief moment of quiet understanding before Klaus nodded and continued. "Brilliant, Elijah. Everyone will get a copy of this, and we will keep track of whether that car is being found. I do not think she drove overly far with it, and she probably left it behind somewhere. Which brings me to the next topic – airports. Bekah, Stefan – I understand the two of you have been searching the surrounding airports for clues. Have you found anything?"

Rebekah shook her head. "We've been to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Monroe, Mobile, Pensacola and even to Houston. I'm quite certain she used one of those airports. I would rule out private planes, and I would also rule out Houston and Dallas, because they are too far to drive, and New Orleans for obvious reasons. Which leaves us with Baton Rouge, Jackson, Monroe, Mobile and Pensacola. We compelled our way into all passenger lists for the airports from about three pm onwards on that day to check for irregularities, but she didn't leave any traces. So what I suggest we do is revisit all those airports and check the parking lots for the car. If she left it at a long-term parking, chances are no one has found it there yet."

With a light smile, Klaus looked at his baby sister gratefully. "Well done, Bekah. You will be ready to do some travelling?" Rebekah squeezed his hand and nodded.

"Of course. Nik, no matter how long it takes, we will find her!"

"I know. We have to." He knew everyone could hear the strain in his voice, but he did not care. "Now, Elena – any ideas as to where she could have gone? She has spoken to me about some places she would like to see, but you have known her ever since you were children. Are there any places she has ever dreamed of visiting?"

The brunette pulled out another sheet. "I have gone through everything we have ever spoken about, and I've listed the places in the order of how intensely she talked about them. The thing is, Klaus, I don't believe she went to any of her dream destinations. Those were fun places for her, and call me stupid, but she has left you, and the last place she would ever choose would be somewhere she has been dreaming of going on a shopping spree or drinking cocktails out of coconuts. This will probably sound completely pointless, but I think wherever she went, it must be connected to you in her mind, however loosely, although not a location where you have been together. What places do you have a special attachment to that you mentioned to her?"

Klaus gazed down at Elena's list. _Paris. Rome. Tokyo._ He swallowed, remembering. _Hawaii, all islands. London. Cape Town. New Zealand. Thailand. Rio. All of Brazil. _The list went on, and he closed his eyes for a second. Instead of concentrating on taking over New Orleans from Marcel, he should have left things in Elijah's capable hands and travelled the world with her, focusing solely on making her happy.

"A very good question, Elena, and I think you have a valid point. Would I have been forced to leave her, it would not have been a happy place I would have chosen as my exile, either. So let us see. Paris, Rome and Tokyo were the three cities I mentioned wanting to take her to at my family's ball after we first danced together. Paris, the city of love? No. There is no way she went there. Rome, with all its art and architecture? A place for happy times, too, so no. Tokyo? More likely, but still a place she wanted to see with me. Let's not rule it out completely, though. We can also safely strike the North Cape, Tiffauges and the Cook Islands. As well as DC and Frankfurt, where we had a short layover. Which still leaves about ninety-nine percent of the world. She knows I have a special attachment to Tromsø, but I agree that she wouldn't go to a place where we have been together."

He sighed and looked down at the list again. "I will need to further think about that. Thank you, Elena."

"I wish there was more I could do," the brunette sighed. "I want my best friend back! Isn't there anything else I can help with, Klaus?"

The Original smiled. He had never been particularly fond of Elena, in fact, he was rather indifferent towards her, but the despair in her voice endeared her a little more to him. She missed Caroline, and she would do anything to help get her back. "I am certain we will have plenty of tasks for everyone within short. Until then, just attempt to keep that insufferable _boyfriend_ of yours in check, will you?"

Elena grinned and turned to Damon who was glaring at Klaus. "Says the guy who just crawled back out of Zombieland?"

"As opposed to the guy who can only ever stay on the back of a horse when the poor thing is compelled?" Klaus fired back.

Both Elijah and Stefan chuckled. "Gentlemen, shall we get back to the task at hand?" Elijah interjected, though still smiling. Klaus nodded and cast a quick look at his brother before he addressed Silv.

"Sister, you have been speaking to the witches. Has anything come of it?" he inquired, grabbing his glass.

"Yes and no. Something _is_ going on. I may no longer be able to perform any magic, but I can still feel it. It would seem that even without being a witch, some part of me will always be connected to my original nature. We… I went to talk to Davina. She was trying to hide it, but she is somewhat nervous. After lengthy conversations, she revealed to me that there is quite the commotion on the Other Side. If I interpreted her correctly, there are rumours among the Old Witches about an alternative method to kill Original vampires. Ever since we destroyed the last White Oak and Mikael is in eternal limbo, the Other Side has been in an uproar, left with no known manner to end your lives. And now they seem to have found the silver lining. Davina had no idea what it was, but what she did know was that there are two people on this side very eagerly working on finding it. Three guesses who."

Klaus had paled. _The Original Grimoire._

They were after the manuscript. That was the name of the bloody game. One of the Old Witches on the Other Side knew about it and had revealed the existence of the document to Bonnie. Who in turn was in league with Marcel. And they had chased Caroline out of town to distract him from the obvious and because they correctly assumed it would lead him to make mistakes. He felt a blinding rage rise within him and took a deep breath. It was better to know what he was up against, but it still made him want to go and behead the both of them, putting their heads on stakes and displaying them for all the supernatural community to see. That method had always been a reliable tool of deterrence, he mused. Well, he might do that in the end, but for now, he needed to find Caroline and make certain that she was safe. The manuscript was fine, not even the witches knew where it was, although it was probably a matter of time until they found out if they were really set on having Bonnie obtain it, he supposed. He could not, however, fathom how the Old Witches would want anyone to find out how to create Original Witches who exceeded them in power. Klaus squeezed his eyes shut for a second. Once more, he would have to tell Elijah about something he had kept from him for a very long time.

With a deep sigh, he took the floor again. "All right then. Priority one is to find Caroline. Whatever is going to go down with Marcel and the witches and wherever she buried herself, there is no safer place for her than at my side, therefore everything else will have to wait." His eyes lit up when a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Silv, if Caroline has had any sort of spell on her, do you think you can still feel it?"

His sister-in-law cocked her head and considered. "I can always try. Actually, J.K. Rowling was not entirely wrong. 'Magic, especially Dark Magic, leaves traces.'" She grinned as Damon rolled his eyes. "Every spell has a very individual trace a witch or warlock can feel when they truly focus on it. They need to know exactly where to look for it, but once they have caught the specific characteristics of the spell, it can theoretically be followed. I cannot tell whether I will still be able to do it, therefore you might want to ask Davina or any other witch to come along, for they will definitely sense something."

Shaking his head, Klaus replied, "I do not trust any of them enough. No one must know we are tracking down Caroline, and no one must suspect that I have returned to reason. We will spread the rumour that Elijah and Silv are taking me to some remote place until I get my blood thirst and my despair under control. That will also upset Marcel, for I am rather certain he is waiting for the right moment to make his move, and my leaving will disrupt his plans for a while. The four of you," he gestured at Rebekah, Elena and the Salvatores, "will head back to Mystic Falls for one day, leaving tonight, as you outwardly no longer have any business in town since Caroline disappeared. You will need to stay for twenty-four hours, going about your normal routine, just in case anyone follows you. After that period, you will head out to search the airports for the Toyota. When you find it, let me know at once. We will meet at the airport in question, and Silv will see if there are any traces. Then we will take it from there."

Elijah looked at him quizzically. "Would it not be wise, brother, to leave someone behind in order to stay on track of whatever Marcel is working on?"

With a small smile, Klaus agreed. "Of course. Which is why I will seek out Kol right after we are done here."

His older brother lifted an eyebrow and raised his glass. "Good luck with that. I believe you will find him in the little Absinthe shack out in the swamps." After a moment of silence, he added, "He is very unhappy, Niklaus. He misses the family. Try to be less of a dictator and more of a brother."

* * *

Klaus had always liked the nightly atmosphere in the swamps around his town. The dim moonlight cast mesmerizing shadows, turning the gnarled cypress trees rising from the water into all sorts of creatures and giving the place a dense, sensual beauty. Cicadas, crickets, frogs… there were so many sounds echoing through the forests that even the keen ear of a vampire found it difficult to distinguish them all. There was a thick, earthy smell in the air, mixed with a hint of wild azaleas.

Inhaling the damp night breeze, Klaus repeatedly asked himself how he had never taken Caroline to the swamps at night. His heart clenched at the thought of her, of the way she would snuggle into his embrace now, have him hold her tight while listening to the nightly sounds and taking in the atmosphere around her, marveling at how beautiful the world was. The way she always did when she saw a new place. Not that he had shown her that many yet. Gods, he felt like kicking himself again!

Looking up, he saw the run-down hovel right ahead. He had been here a number of times, although he sometimes wondered how this place still existed after over a hundred years. Well, the alcohol was cheap, no one asked any questions and it was not exactly a black tie location. He knew his younger brother had always had a fondness for rotten, lousy establishments like this one. Just like the one he had found himself in the other day. There were short, fleeting instances when Klaus asked himself whether he had more in common with his younger sibling than he cared to admit.

Slamming the door open, he stepped into the dirty room. There was no electric light, but then there never had been. A few candles were lit in order to provide minimum visibility. That was about the extent of ambiance one could expect, too. About a dozen men were scattered at various tables, staring into their glasses or vacantly into space. For over a hundred years, the bar had only ever served Absinthe – the traditional recipe which included a generous amount of thujone, the compound that was blamed for the beverage's psychedelic effects in earlier days. There was an illicit still hidden in the depth of the swamp, the likes of which had never been discovered by law enforcement or anyone who was not explicitly looking for it, and so the little shack never ran dry.

Klaus spotted his younger brother at a table in the corner, almost entirely untouched by any candlelight, half hidden in the darkness. Kol looked up when he approached him, his eyes narrowing. Never taking his gaze off Klaus, he emptied his glass and refilled it in one fluid movement.

"Mind if I join you, little brother?" Klaus asked, sitting down and giving the bartender an imperious wave to bring a second glass.

"Yes. I do mind, Nik. Go about the _family business_ and leave me alone. You made it abundantly clear that you do not consider me part of the family."

The bartender silently dumped a dirty glass in front of Klaus. Crinkling his nose, he grabbed the bottle and poured some of the bilious green liquid into the cup. Taking a couple of sips, he lifted a corner of his mouth. "I take it the recipe has never been changed in a hundred years. It tastes just like it did back then."

The brothers stared at each other for a while. They were not quite aware of it, but they looked rather similar – pale, hollow faces, dark eyes with deep shadows. Faces of despair and loneliness. Finally, Kol broke the silence.

"What do you want, Nik? I thought you were busy being miserable, so how come you are here, talking to _me _of all people?" he hissed. "Have you finally staked your babysitter and need a new target to trample on?"

Klaus sighed. He wanted to take a first step towards his unruly brother, but that did not mean it was easy for him. Centuries of fighting, bickering and daggering Kol had left their mark on both of them. He had no idea whether they could ever arrive at simply having a brotherly relationship. _You are older, wiser, less juvenile – okay, most of the time, granted – and the greater man. _Her pearly voice sounded so clearly in his head that he was tempted to look up and see if she was actually here. Closing his eyes for an instant, he deliberated. She had been right, although he certainly did not feel less juvenile than his younger sibling whenever he clashed with Kol. But he was the older brother, and he would need to be the wiser one. Just as Elijah had always been in his dealings with him.

"I need your help, Kol."

The younger Original replaced his glass with a loud clatter. "I think I haven't heard you correctly, Nik. Care to repeat that?"

Klaus pressed his lips together and clenched his teeth. _Be less of a dictator. Um-hm. Right. _ "No, I do not, as you understood me perfectly. So you either join me and let me explain, or you stay and enjoy the charms of this enchanting place." With that, he rose, downed the rest of his Absinthe and left the shack. He hadn't even reached the rim of the swamp when he heard his brother's steps behind him.

"All right. You win. As always. So what do you need my help with? Another messenger job, I presume?"

Gesturing towards a small airboat, Klaus just said, "Not here."

They raced right into the depths of the swamp. Klaus skillfully conducted the boat through the labyrinthine waterways, passing cypresses and other trees, mangroves, reed and the occasional solitary hut until they reached a large area of mangrove-covered, open water. He steered the boat right into the middle of the lake and finally killed the engine. Turning to Kol, who was eyeing him with a little more interest by now, he sat down and began to speak.

"It would seem that Caroline did not leave me quite voluntarily. If my assumptions are correct, Marcel and Bonnie Bennett are actually behind this, for reasons yet to be investigated. My first and utmost priority is to find Caroline. This will be a rather time-consuming endeavour, and I will require the help of the family as well as Caroline's friends who have all agreed to indeed join me."

He paused and leaned forward, his eyes intently on his younger brother, his voice urgent.

"Kol. I need you to take over responsibility for the town and ideally also find out what Marcel and the Bennett witch are planning. You will keep in touch with our existing allies and gather new ones. Quietly and clandestinely, you will keep an eye on things and let me and Elijah know about everything that happens. And lastly, you will need to pull Davina onto our side, as something tells me she will be of importance to us going forward. Can you do that?"

Kol stared at his older brother, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "Are you serious, Nik?"

"Look at me. What do you think?"

"You are giving me the responsibility for this town? _Your _town?"

"Yes."

The younger Original seemed completely thunderstruck. Then he gathered his wits, and his eyes narrowed. "Why? You do not trust me. The only person you remotely confide in is Elijah. Why are you giving this to me instead of him?"

That was a valid question, as Klaus well knew, and he decided to bend the truth just a little bit. He needed Kol, but he did not trust him. However, he had the faint hope that his brother might grow with the responsibility. "Very simple. This task requires a certain ruthlessness and lack of conscience. You will need to dig deep to gather information, and in some cases, you will also have to apply pressure and force to extract what we need. Elijah can be like that, but more often than not, his nobility stands in the way. I will take him with me as I also require Silv to do some tracking, and you will therefore be the only one who can handle this." That was not entirely true, but it was also not an outright lie. "But let me be clear about one thing, little brother. I do not want you to wreak havoc and bring down hell and high water on this place. I want you to make rational decisions, to move carefully and to always be one step ahead of Marcel and his troops."

Kol stared at the dark silhouettes of the cypresses bordering the lake. Klaus let him take his time. He did not have the remotest idea whether this had been the right thing to do, but he just needed Elijah with him when he went to search for Caroline, and if after this Kol still did not prove himself trustworthy and reliable, he had at least tried. He did not expect the lad to find out anything of vital importance, but he needed to keep track of what went on in New Orleans during his absence. Some voice hidden deep inside him was wondering again whether his little brother was really so different from him. No one had ever given him a chance over the centuries, and no one had ever put his trust in him, with the notable exception of Elijah. The only difference had been that Klaus had always just gone ahead and waltzed down everything that stood in his way. He had also always kept Kol small, the way his stepfather had done with him. And now that both his lovely Caroline and his family had given him a chance to show a little more of who he was without all the destruction, loneliness and rage inside him, he had to admit that it had made him a better man. Minus the last few weeks. So it was indeed possible that the same could come to pass with Kol if Klaus finally put some confidence in him.

"What if I fail?" his younger sibling suddenly asked. "Dagger and box?"

"Should you fail, brother dear, I will kick your sorry ass all the way to the remotest forest in Kamchatka and let the bears chew you up very slowly. If, however, you do succeed, I will leave you in charge of New Orleans for good, should you feel inclined to take over permanently."

The look of complete stupefaction on Kol's face was so comical that Klaus actually gave the first real chuckle in weeks.

"You really mean that, don't you?" Kol muttered slowly, his eyes on his older brother as if to analyze his reaction. Klaus nodded.

"I do. If you give me your word that you will take this very seriously and stop behaving like a pouting toddler whenever anything does not go your way. You will report to me regularly, and whenever in doubt about a decision, you will consult with either Elijah or myself." He looked his younger sibling straight in the eyes. "I need to focus on finding Caroline, brother, and I am trusting you to handle the aforementioned issues on your own for a while. Once I have found Caroline, we will put down Marcel and the Bennett witch. Spread the rumour that Elijah and Silv have taken me to a location where I cannot cause much damage until I am back to normal. The farther away, the better. Let us settle for Tristan da Cunha, should anyone ask. No supernatural beings, and there is only one ship every month to call at port, so no one will come to verify whether we are really there. One other thing, Kol – Marcel will entirely underestimate you, and you will have to take care that it stays that way for another while. He must not know you are working on undermining him. Publicly rant about how you hate me, how you are glad that I am gone, and do so at every opportunity."

The younger Original nodded, still nonplussed. Klaus eyed his brother carefully before he held out his hand. "Are we agreed, then?"

Kol shook off his stupor and clasped his sibling's hand. "All right," Klaus nodded, "let us head back."

"Nik."

"Yes?"

There was a slight hesitation before Kol spoke again. "I… I was truly considering… siding with Marcel against you."

Klaus smiled. "I know."

"How would you know that?"

"You would not be a Mikaelson had you not weighed all your options. What made you change your mind?"

It was dark, but Klaus thought he saw a very faint flush on his brother's face. "Family above all," he just shrugged and reverted to staring at the dark shadows cast by the old trees lining the lake.

With another smile, Klaus started the engine.


	15. Neighbours

**Maraming salamat sa 'yo Pilipinas! :)  
**

**Ana20, Justine, Marie, Brittsmile19, Tricia and the anonymous reviewers - thank you again, please keep it up! :)**

**It would seem I am just the teensiest bit fickle... I never wanted to post two chapters in one day again, but here we go - two uploads for you today! I hope you'll find them worth your lovely reviews again! ;)**

**Thank you all, as always! **

**XX**

**P.S. Those who haven't had a look at the cover for Sanctuaries yet, please do so! An incredibly amazing work by the wonderful Shadowscraving! :)**

* * *

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

NEIGHBOURS

It was the second week in her new home. Caroline could never have imagined the little cottage to turn out so habitable. The two silent men she had compelled to restore the place had been experienced carpenters, and they had worked small miracles on the tiny place. She had a comfortable bed, a minuscule kitchen with a stove and a fridge to store the blood bags she had stolen from the local hospital, and there was even an armchair. And a bathtub. It had taken quite an effort by the two men to squeeze the tub into the bathroom, but they had managed. There was hot water, and a couple of space heaters gave a remote idea of warmth.

As she had asked, the carpenters had made a bench that was installed right in front of the house, overlooking the Channel. They had also made a matching table. This was where she spent most of her days, regardless of weather and temperature – she was always cold anyway. Since the restoring of the house had started, she had slowly shaken off the hazy trance that had trapped her ever since she had arrived in Patagonia. She was still dead inside, but very gradually, she had begun to register a few things about her surroundings. Like the different cloud formations, the smell in the air that told her when it was about to rain, the way the wind seemed to howl differently every day.

Caroline still did not have the slightest desire to interact with anyone. It had been necessary to talk to the carpenters, and she had to compel her way in and out of the supermarket whenever she was in need of water or some basic food. But other than that, she welcomed the isolation. One of the men had asked her whether she wanted a TV installed, to which she had just shaken her head. The outside world was lost to her, and it would remain that way. On her last trip to Ushuaia, though, she had stolen a couple of Spanish textbooks and a dictionary. Sitting on the bench in front of the house, she forced herself to work with the books for a couple of hours per day so as not to completely lose touch with reality. As an added bonus, any form of compulsion would be easier and faster if people actually gathered what she was compelling them to do, so fluent Spanish was imperative if, as she planned to, she would be staying indefinitely.

Today was a day like any other. Caroline had got up in the morning, shaking off the aftermath of her dream about Klaus. It had not been sex this time but a beautiful vision of the two of them walking the streets of Paris, hand in hand, stopping every now and then for lingering, tender gazes into each other's eyes. Klaus had been showing her _his_ Paris, the way he had first fallen in love with the city, taking her to places no tourist would ever come across, fascinating her with stories about the French Revolution, his old friend Talleyrand, Napoleon and many other colourful episodes of French history. She had always imagined him to kiss her on one of the bridges or on the Eiffel Tower, but in her dream, it had been a cemetery called Père Lachaise. The place oozed history, and they had been standing next to Oscar Wilde's grave when he had taken her hand and pulled her close, whispering, _'He was a very wise man, you know. One of the things he said was, 'Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.' It certainly is a good thing for me, my darling. If life was fair, I would be burning in hell by now instead of being so gloriously happy at your side.'_

She grabbed the bench at the memory of the dream. She saw him in her sleep every single night, and for the first few seconds after waking up, she was as happy as she had been every time she had awoken in his arms. But then she invariably remembered. And the agony hit her like a baseball bat. She had thought it would become easier, with time, but she had been very mistaken. She missed Klaus more with each passing day, and she had no idea what to do to make it less painful.

Trying to concentrate on her Spanish book, she chased away the harrowing thoughts. A couple of minutes later, she noticed a motion in her peripheral vision and raised her head. An old man was walking towards her, very slowly but determinedly, a cane in his hand, although he didn't seem to really need it. Caroline sniffed the air. Human. Maybe he had lost his way – her cottage was so far removed from the next road that it was highly unlikely for anyone to seek out the place on purpose. She eyed the man carefully as he approached, mentally preparing to compel him and send him on his way. He inclined his head when he reached the house.

"Buenos días," he greeted.

"Buenos días. Se ha perdido, señor?" _Are you lost?_

The old man smiled gently. "Oh, you're American?" he inquired.

Caroline nodded. "Yes. I know, terrible accent."

"I wouldn't call it terrible, but it is discernible. But forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Jack Dahl." He held out a hand. Caroline shook it briefly and looked up at him.

"So have you lost your way, then? The nearest road is…"

"… about five miles west, I know. I am not lost. I've lived here for over forty years, and I know my way around. My own house is a little off the main road, close to the shore. I walk this area often, but I didn't know this cottage had been sold. It's nice to a have a new neighbor, Miss…"

She tried to think quickly. "Cook. Eve Cook." _Jesus, Caroline. The Cook Islands and Eve in paradise? Well, whatever. You have to compel him anyway._

"It is nice to meet you, Miss Cook. Or may I call you Eve? You are young enough to almost be my great-granddaughter," he grinned. His grin was broad, charming and almost a little contagious.

"Sure, call me Eve," Caroline replied. Some small leftovers of civilized behaviour kicked in as she gestured to the bench she was sitting on. "Would you like to have a seat?"

"Thank you," he smiled and sat down, leaning his cane against the wall of the house. "So tell me, Eve, have you managed to forget yet?"

Caroline's eyes widened, and she stared at Jack unseeingly. Was there something supernatural about him after all? She didn't detect anything, just regular human smell and no strange vibes. He was human all right. But… "What do you mean?" she whispered, not trusting her voice.

"You know, people who come here to stay do so to either find or forget something. Your eyes hold no curiosity, no questions. You came to forget. So have you?"

She shook her head, fighting down the image of Klaus' face that raced through her mind. "No. I haven't. And I never will, nor do I actually want to."

He stared out at the Channel, over to the snow-capped mountains on Isla Navarino. There were two boats passing by, their white sails a sharp contrast to the dark grey waters. "You are right. You will never forget if it is something that changed your life, and from the agony in your eyes I can tell that whatever it was, it did. But at some point, you will learn to live with it. Do not lose yourself over what happened to you."

Caroline swallowed. "So you came to forget, too?" she asked, keen on distracting herself from how Jack's words had hit home. She _was_ losing herself, but there was nothing she could do, was there?

"Yes. And I haven't forgotten either. But I think this is enough heavy talk for two people who have met about five minutes ago. Do you know much about the area, Eve?"

She shook her head. Maybe she should just let him talk for a little while. It would give her ever-tormented mind a much-needed break. "Why don't you tell me about it?" she encouraged him with a strained smile. He didn't need any further persuasion.

"Okay, so let's start with the obvious – Ushuaia. The place is relatively young, founded only in 1884. The first inhabitants were missionaries, no surprises there. There is no way even the remotest piece of land could ever be allowed to fall into the hands of the evil heretics, is there?" He winked, and Caroline almost had to smile a little. "In the early twentieth century, Ushuaia became notorious for being home to a large number of prisoners…"

For a very long while, he just talked and Caroline actually listened. It was the first time she had had a true conversation since leaving, and it felt surprisingly good. Jack was funny, knowledgeable and kind, and he did manage to put her mind to rest for a short while. At some point, she even offered to make him a cup of tea, but he glanced at his watch and shook his head.

"Much as I would like to take you up on that tea, I will have to start heading back. It's quite a walk. But maybe I can visit you again one of these days?"

_This is a crossroads, Caroline. If you tell him no, you will compel him now to make him forget about ever meeting you and just chase him away every time he happens to walk by. But… he did distract you from constantly thinking about your misery, and maybe that is just what you need in order not to go mad sometime soon. _

She looked at him for a long moment. "I'd like that," she said slowly. She knew she should definitely compel him, but she didn't want to. For some reason, she wanted him to remember her.

"It's a date, then," he grinned. "See you soon, Eve."

"See you, Jack."

She followed him with her eyes until he was out of sight.

_Now you have a neighbour. _

* * *

Jack came to see her often. He invariably walked, and Caroline suspected this was his way of exercising. After his third visit, she began to cautiously look forward to seeing him. During her time with the old man, her mind was able to relax a little. His stories about the land, its native inhabitants, the conflicts between Argentina and Chile about Patagonia as well as his descriptions of the spectacular nature were entertaining and interesting, although he never spoke of his personal life and did not ask any questions about hers for which she was immensely grateful. On some days, he brought a bottle of wine which Caroline always politely declined. It reminded her of intimate dinners, soft kisses in front of the fireplace and hearty laughter. So he drank the wine by himself, making his stories all the more animated.

One afternoon, he had found Caroline particularly downcast. She had been dreaming of the night Klaus had told her about Henrik, and how he had cried himself out in her arms. She had awoken with a cold hand clenched around her heart, thinking of how he now no longer had anyone to soothe his nightmares and to hold him when the memories became too much to bear. Her next thought was of another woman taking her place, and although she knew she should find comfort in the idea of someone easing his loneliness, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Maybe it made her a bad, egoistical, self-centered person, but the mere thought of someone else's arms around him, someone else's hands running soothingly through his hair was so unspeakably hurtful it all but paralyzed her. At some point that day, she had managed to drag herself out of the bed and to her usual spot on the bench, which remained the extent of her activities. When she saw Jack approaching the cottage, she briefly considered compelling him and sending him away, but that would have meant some sort of effort. Immediately noticing her desolate mood, the old man sat down next to her and stretched out his legs under the table.

"Now that we have been speaking about the wonders of Patagonia so many times, what would think of going to see a few of them?" he inquired casually.

Caroline shook her head. "That's very kind, Jack, but I think… I'm not really interested in going anywhere."

He smiled and winked at her. "Why don't you give an old man some credit, Eve? Let's make a deal. I will take you to Tierra del Fuego National Park tomorrow, and if at the end of the day, you tell me you don't want to see anything further, I will not bother you again. How about that?"

She was just about to turn him down when a small ray of sunshine fell through the thick layer of clouds. For a fleeting moment, the water in the Channel was no longer grey, but a deep, icy kind of blue. Then the short flicker of light was gone as suddenly as it had appeared. _You've gotta be kidding me. What is this, some indigenous Fuegian God sending me an omen? Seriously! _Then again – what did she have to lose? She could be miserable anywhere, and if it kept Jack from future attempts at making her forsake her solitude, just as well.

"Okay, why not. Are we walking?" she asked without any real curiosity.

"I actually have a car. The Park is about fifteen miles from Ushuaia and we can drive right up to the entrance. There will be some hiking, though, if that's all right. If not, we can always rent a couple of horses."

"No!" Caroline exclaimed, a little too loud. "I mean," she continued in a more collected manner, "no horses, please. I'd prefer to hike."

Jack nodded, and again, he didn't ask any questions although he had very obviously registered her harsh reaction. "Shall we meet up at the main road? I will pick you up at eight, if that's not too early."

"Eight's fine," she nodded. It wasn't until very much later that she finally recognized what the subdued sensation that had flashed through her for an instant had actually been – quiet satisfaction at having made plans, even if only for one day.

* * *

Tierra del Fuego National Park was a treasure. The last peaks of the endless Andes towered over valleys with rivers and glacial lakes, bordered by forests of Lenga and Guindo trees, many covered by moss and ferns. The Park even boasted a sea shore with two bays. The first sight Jack took her to was the Laguna Negra, a lagoon separated from the larger Lago Fagnano by a walkable isthmus. As the old man explained, the lagoon had received its name from the large amount of peat contained in its waters, making it appear almost black.

They spent all day driving around and walking the Park, and with every passing hour, Caroline let the incredible beauty surrounding them get to her a little more. Jack pointed out the most remarkable spots, and he seemed to have a background story on just about everything. At some point, they even happened across a small herd of guanacos, the indigenous camelids prized for their soft, warm wool. The way the animals stared at them so curiously made Caroline give an actual smile.

When Jack dropped her at the main road that evening, Caroline turned to him and squeezed his hand. "Thank you. It was a very nice day, and I really appreciate you showing me the Park. It was incredibly beautiful." She paused for a moment, then she asked almost shyly, "Do you think you could… show me around some more?"

With a broad grin, the old man patted her hand. "It will be my absolute pleasure. And I can promise you we won't run out of sights anytime soon. There is so much to see in this corner of the world, and as you may have noticed, I am not overly busy."

Neither was Caroline.

From that moment on, not a single day went by when they did not go on some sort of excursion. Sometimes they remained relatively close, exploring the wilderness around the area, while on other occasions they drove for hours to find specific sights Jack wanted her to see. They took a few boat tours along the Channel, and for the first time in her life, Caroline got to observe sea lions, cormorants and even penguins outside of a zoo.

The boat tours had become her favourite, and they were on yet another one today. Jack had grasped very quickly that she liked boats and had made a point out of taking her on ever new trips. Something about cruising the icy waters made her feel a little more alive, and the change of perspective was very refreshing. Had she only ever gazed from land towards the sea, she could now observe how different everything looked from the water. _I want to know more about the ocean. And the land._ For a moment, she stood stock still at the thought that had just crossed her mind. Was she actually interested in something again? Was she really thinking further than the next couple of hours? She grabbed the railing of the little boat, glad that Jack was currently looking in another direction. Closing her eyes, she delved into her feelings. _Yes. I want to keep my mind occupied. I want to busy myself with something. So why not study? It's as good an occupation as any. _

Caroline opened her eyes again and stared at the distant coastline. Her fear for Klaus was still as present as it had been on day one, and she touched her Signum every morning and every night to make certain he was alive. Her longing for her man – and something told her she would perceive him as hers until the day she died, just as she would be eternally his – had not diminished one ounce. She spent her nights trying to fall asleep while her thoughts revolved around Klaus, and when she finally did sleep, she dreamed of him. Every single night. As much as those dreams were her sanctuary of past happiness, they also exhausted her emotionally, and although she wouldn't want to miss a second of the moments she spent in his illusive arms, she was also aware that she needed to give her mind a break from time to time. So if at some point in the distant future, she could arrive at giving her nights to Klaus and spending her days coming to terms with her life without him, it would be an arrangement she could live with.

She gently nudged the old man. "Jack, I know you've done more for me than I could ever repay you for, but could I ask another favour of you?"

"What makes you think I have been doing anything for you? I am enjoying these little trips immensely, and I am glad you are indulging an old man's whims and join me," he replied with a low chuckle, making Caroline smile. "What is it you need, Eve?"

"I would like to order a couple of books online. There are a few internet cafés on San Martín, so I can place the order, but… could I use your name and address for the delivery?"

Holding her breath, she eyed him warily, bracing for the questions that would invariably follow now. "On one condition," he grinned. "You will come to my house and pick them up yourself. I am not carrying twenty pounds worth of books over hedge and ditch to your place."

Caroline gave a quick, spontaneous giggle that surprised the hell out of them both. When she had recovered from her brief shock, she nodded. "Deal."

* * *

The day she had ordered the books, she had sat in front of the computer in the small internet café, staring perplexedly at the screen. She had completely forgotten that the internet was stubbornly refusing to be compelled, and she now remembered having left everything behind, which included her credit cards. _Gah! What now? Okay, two choices – you either find a hobby that doesn't require online payments, or you add credit card theft to your growing criminal record. _She reluctantly opted for the latter, but she would try to aim for someone remotely deserving.

_It's still theft, Caroline. Whoever you steal from. You're not Robin Hood! And you've stolen enough over the last weeks, don't you think? Food, clothes, not to mention the hotel stay… Where's it going to end? _

_Shut up. Do you think I find this entertaining? I'm no longer the good girl, I get it, so will you please just let it go? _

Stepping out of the café, she looked around until her gaze fell on a large cruise ship that had just docked at port. She strolled in the direction of the harbour, meticulously scanning the crowds of tourists emerging from the large vessel. A middle-aged couple caught her eye, both dressed in obviously expensive arctic gear. She fell into step behind them, listening to their conversation. If they were nice people, she would find someone else.

_Brilliant criteria. Very socially acceptable._

_Oh, shut it already!_

"I've been listening to your whining for the past two weeks now, and I frankly don't give a shit. You wanted to go on a cruise, we are on a cruise. You wanted a dozen new cocktail dresses, you got them. You wanted that waitress fired, I got her fired. What the fuck else do you want, Marjorie?"

"When I was talking about a cruise, I was thinking the Caribbean, Mexico or somewhere sunny! Cocktails, beaches, palm trees! Not the damn end of the world where everything's just grey and boring! And you knew that perfectly well! So you will either go on listening to my whining, or you'll have to throw me overboard."

"Don't tempt me. I…"

"Excuse me?" Caroline chirped with what was left of her most charming smile. The couple turned around. The man scanned her body appreciatively while the woman's eyes narrowed.

"What do you want?" she asked shrilly. Caroline took one step closer and grabbed both of them by their jackets. _The woman first, she looks like a screamer. _Her pupils dilated.

"You will not scream, run or fight. You will smile and consider this an entirely normal conversation. Once we are done, you will forget you ever met me." She quickly repeated the same compulsion with the man. Then she released them both and concentrated on the man, her pupils dilating again.

"Take out your credit card and write down the number and your name. No items on your card statement will look strange to you, and you will remember perfectly well where, how and why you made every single purchase. You will not track down any items on that bill."

The man nodded and took out his card, jotting down the data on a piece of paper his wife had handed him. Caroline pocketed the little sheet and turned to leave. "Apologies," she muttered quietly.

* * *

Eight days later, the books had arrived at Jack's. Caroline had ordered some basic volumes on oceanography, geography and geology, and a day after Jack had come over to tell her the package had been delivered, she flashed over to his house to collect them. She had never been to his place before and was mildly curious to see how he lived.

It took him a while to answer her knock. "Sorry," he smiled when he opened the door, "sometimes I do forget I am no longer twenty and the way to the door is full of obstacles and dangers. Come in."

Stepping aside, he let her enter and gestured towards an open door at the end of the hallway. "Have a seat, tea will be right up." Caroline nodded and walked towards the door he had indicated, finding herself in his living room. The room was cozy and warm, with wooden walls, thick carpets, a fireplace and large windows that also overlooked the Channel. The view was a little different from hers but no less spectacular. There were maps of Patagonia on the walls, pictures of the rough Southern Seas and the majestic scenery. Then her eyes darted to the fireplace. One picture had been placed on its top. The photograph showed a man in his late twenties or early thirties and a young girl of maybe ten years. She strolled over to the chimney to examine the photograph more closely. It was Jack as a young man.

"That's my daughter, Janie," his voice sounded from the door, and Caroline thought she detected a light strain.

"Where is she now?" she inquired.

"She died almost forty years ago, in a car accident."

Caroline turned around to see a flicker of pain on his face. She pressed her lips together. "I'm sorry, Jack." She paused. "Is that… why you are here? What you came to forget?"

Shaking his head, he placed a tray with cups, saucers and a tea pot on the coffee table. "I didn't come to forget my daughter. I came to forget that I was the one who killed her. I drove the car that day."

She couldn't think of a single thing to say. Being so absorbed in her own sorrow, she had completely forgotten that other people suffered, too. How suffocating that kind of guilt must be. It reminded her of how Klaus had spent an agonizing millennium, blaming himself for the two deaths of Henrik, even though he had no hand in either of the events. Looking at Jack's weathered face, she felt a quick wave of sympathy rush through her. Even though the reason was a sad one, she was a little grateful for the brief moment of emotion.

"What happened?" she asked softly, sitting down on an armchair across from him.

Jack was pouring the tea, his hand perfectly steady. "We were on our way back from a day at the zoo," he began, handing Caroline a cup, "and Janie was so excited she couldn't sit still. I had fastened her seatbelt on the backseat before we left the zoo, but somewhere along the drive, she managed to unfasten it and hop around, pointing at dogs on the sidewalk, telling me about the animals she had seen in the zoo as if I hadn't been there. And I did not have the heart to stop her. At some point, she became a little too wild, and I turned around to try and make her sit. I wasn't paying attention to the road for about two seconds, overlooked a stop sign and… that was the end of it." He swallowed, and Caroline felt like hugging him for comfort. "I escaped with nothing but a fractured arm and some bruises while my little Janie died on the spot."

"I am so sorry," Caroline whispered, timidly covering Jack's hand with hers, surprising them both. A moment later, the old man smiled and put his other hand on top of hers. "They stopped me from killing myself on the site of the accident. It was next to a rather tall bridge, and I was about to jump when one of the paramedics wrestled me down."

"What about your wife?"

"Our marriage did not survive the accident, either. She kept saying she didn't blame me, but I could see it in her eyes. Every time she looked at me, all she saw was the man who had killed her daughter, and I did not have it in me to comfort her, to try and save our marriage. There was nothing inside me but emptiness. She left me two months after the accident, and a few weeks later, I had sold everything I owned, boarded a plane to Argentina and never looked back."

Caroline nodded. "It may sound like a phrase to you, Jack, but I think that to an extent, I know how you felt."

He smiled again and gestured towards her face. "Your eyes are very expressive, Eve. They tell a tale of leaving everything behind, too, am I right?"

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not speak of it."

"Understood. Just know that you can, should you ever want to."

Squeezing his hand, she gave him a small smile. "Thank you. Why don't you tell me a little more about your daughter? What was she like?"

Jack leaned back into the cushions and looked out of the windows. "In some respects, you remind me of her. In those very fleeting moments when there is a sparkle in your eyes. Janie was very vivid, curious and sassy. I remember once when she…"

They talked for hours, and when Caroline walked back to her little hut that night, carrying her books, she kept staring up to the stars, wondering why there was so much pain, sorrow and emptiness in the world.

_My God, Niklaus, I miss you. I miss you so much it hurts. I know miracles don't usually happen, but this is the world of the supernatural, and you're the Big Bad Hybrid. Please. Just kill Marcel and come get me. I know you'll never find me here, but can you do it anyway? I'm going crazy without your love._


	16. Traces

**Okay, second chapter for the day - please enjoy, dearies! :)**

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

TRACES

Klaus lifted his eyes from the text he had just received and looked at Elijah and Silv. "Bekah and Stefan have found the car. Mobile Airport. Let us go."

All three of them were silent while Klaus raced his M6 towards Alabama. They had been in Jackson, and it would have taken a normal person about three hours to reach Mobile from there, but then they had never been normal persons after all. A not-too-long while later, Klaus pulled up at the long-term parking lot Rebekah had indicated. Getting out of his car, his eyes never left the silver Toyota SUV as he approached the vehicle. Without so much as a hint of effort, he opened the locked driver's door and inhaled deeply. And there it was. Very faint, almost disappeared, but definitely there, preserved by the confined space and no air circulation.

Caroline's scent.

It hit him like a tornado, and memories flashed through his mind like lightnings. The first time he had held her at the dance in his house. How she had kissed him while he was in Tyler's body. The way she had snuggled into him when he had comforted her after her first encounter with Prelati. Their first real kiss. Their first night. How she had held him the night he had told her about Henrik. Their wedding. The way she hid in the curve of his shoulder whenever she was upset. _The way she looked at him with such love and longing, every single day._

He balled his fists and tried to breathe evenly. After a moment, he turned towards the others and nodded. "That's the right car. Silv, please do focus. Can you feel anything?"

His sister-in-law closed her eyes and put one hand on the steering wheel. A light grin spread over her face as she turned around to look at him. "It's there. It's very weak, but I can feel it. It must have been some sort of tracking spell. Okay, I will probably look like a bit of a sniffer dog now, but just follow me."

With her eyes almost closed again, Silv began to walk. The four of them followed until they reached the shuttle stop. "It ends here, so she has taken the shuttle. Don't panic," she added when Klaus was about to go berserk, "it will pick up at the entrance to the airport. Fortunately, this is not Chicago or Newark, so there won't be a million doors to check."

It was the second door. Silv nodded and walked ahead. They compelled their way until the brunette stopped at a gate. "This one. Now all we have to do is find out what flights left from this gate on said day."

Klaus turned around and grabbed the first person in uniform he saw. "I will be back shortly, wait here," he called out to the rest of them as he led the man away. He returned not five minutes later. "There were four flights leaving from this gate after two pm. Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston and DC. Although I did rule out DC as a permanent place, she might have chosen it to connect to somewhere else. Silv, you will have to check all four airports. I wrote down the respective arrival gates for the flights from Mobile, so at least we will not have to scour the entire airport grounds. There is a flight leaving for Atlanta in fifteen minutes."

No traces were to be found in either Atlanta or Charlotte. Klaus was getting increasingly frustrated, but he tried to rein in his impatience. "DC or Houston next?" Stefan asked.

"Houston. Tell Elena and Damon to meet us there."

When they arrived in Houston, they made their way to the gate in question. After a brief moment of silence, Silv's eyes lit up and she smiled at Klaus. The relief on his face was so eminent that Rebekah actually leaned forward to give him a quick hug. He looked at his baby sister and gave her a faint smile.

"All right then, same procedure. Let's find the next gate and see which flights took off from there," Klaus instructed.

"Got of a treasure hunt, huh?" Damon's voice suddenly sounded behind the small group.

"It is," Klaus just said, making the older Salvatore pull a face.

"Ugh, vomit."

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan and Elena snapped in unison, making the others grin and Damon huff indignantly.

They followed Silv again who seemed to have to have some difficulties concentrating with the hustle and bustle going on around them. Klaus fleetingly wondered how many more traces of magic were to be found in a large airport like this. After walking for quite a while, Silv suddenly stopped at a closed gate and approached the door that led to the jetty. Closing her eyes, she focused for a long moment, then she turned to the waiting group.

"Yes. This one. The trace is actually a bit stronger here, so she must have been here for a while, waiting. I would assume three hours minimum."

Klaus flashed off again, and this time it took him a little longer to gather the required information.

"If we assume international departures after seven pm, which is highly probable given the fact she arrived at four pm and has been at this gate for quite a while, it leaves us with the following options: London, San Salvador, Frankfurt, Toronto, São Paulo and Buenos Aires." He paused and swallowed. "I think we can rule out London, Frankfurt and São Paulo for obvious reasons – they are either on her list or we have been there together."

Elijah nodded. "We might also want to move Toronto to the bottom of the list, as I deem it too close to home."

"Which leaves us with San Salvador and Buenos Ai…" Klaus stopped dead when realization hit him. Everyone was staring at him curiously as he exhaled sharply and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. "Of course. Buenos Aires."

"Why would you think that?" Silv asked, looking at Elijah in confusion. Her husband just shrugged, as much at a loss as she was, and gazed at his brother patiently.

"Gods, I remember now. It was something I said to Caroline back in Norway. I explained to her how I could never help the sensation that Tromsø held some special kind of magic, and that the only other place to do this to me was… Southern Patagonia."

Damon groaned. "Please tell me you specified the exact location a little further at some point, General Grievous. Do you have any idea just how big Southern Patagonia is? Did you at least suggest either the Argentinian or the Chilean side?"

Klaus took one step towards the older Salvatore and hissed, "I'm sorry, mate, I was not aware at the time that I should have given Caroline a list of geographic coordinates just in case she would feel forced to leave me and settle at the end of the world one day."

"Whatever happened to 'always one step ahead'?" Damon sneered, just before Stefan stepped between the two.

"Can we just not go for each other's throats in public?" he demanded. "At least we have a general direction now, and if the magic trace holds up in Buenos Aires, we will be getting a lot closer to finding her."

With a black scowl at Damon, Klaus retreated and pointed to the gate. "The flight leaves in two hours. Does anyone want to stay behind?" He looked at the small group of his family and… _friends._ Everyone was shaking their heads determinedly. "Good. We'll meet here right before departure. Silv?"

His sister-in-law nodded. Klaus' eyes turned soft for an instant, and they were filled with gratitude as he looked at his brother's wife. "Thank you."

She smiled at him. "You're not the only one who loves her, you know?"

_But the only one who can't live without her._

* * *

The trace was gone.

When they arrived in Buenos Aires, Silv could not detect any sign of magic at all. They walked the entire airport, but there was nothing. "It was probably a temporary spell, one that should make sure she actually left, but nothing further."

Klaus forced his blinding rage down with all his might. He had already wasted far too many weeks being irrational, and if he started extinguishing Buenos Aires now, he would misspend even more precious time. He commanded himself to consider the options calmly and objectively. There were a few airports to take into account. Punta Arenas, Rio Grande, Ushuaia and Puerto Williams. The only two airports with nonstop connections from Buenos Aires were Rio Grande and Ushuaia. Which did not mean the other two should be disregarded.

"We will split up. Stefan, Rebekah, you will go to Punta Arenas. Damon and Elena, Puerto Williams. Elijah and Silv, Rio Grande. I will go to Ushuaia. Compel the hell out of everyone you encounter. You all have her picture on your phones. Someone _must_ have seen her, for she couldn't have compelled the entire Patagonian population. Keep me updated."

He felt a hand on his shoulder as he watched Rebekah, Elena and the Salvatores leave after a quick round of goodbyes. Turning towards his brother, he looked at him questioningly.

"Niklaus, let us stay together." When Klaus wanted to protest, Elijah just shook his head. "I have told you that you are not alone in this, and what I do not want is to see you go crackers when the first person you ask has not seen Caroline. You have been at your breaking point and beyond ever since she left. You are now. So let us not waste any more time and find her. Together, brother."

Everything inside him wanted to just force Elijah to do as he had said – but that was exactly why his older sibling had a point. As long as he didn't have his Caroline safely back in his arms, he could definitely not trust himself not to do anything irrational and subsequently waste further time. Rio Grande was at a two and a half hour drive from Ushuaia, so they would be able to get from one place to the other fairly quickly.

"Agreed. Rio Grande first, then."

Rio Grande was a relatively large town, its population exceeding sixty thousand. Klaus, Elijah and Silv spent a week searching hotels, restaurants, bus stations and the police. No one had seen Caroline. The others were just as unsuccessful in Puerto Williams and Punta Arenas respectively, but they had now extended their search to the more rural areas.

Klaus could still feel the magic he had spoken of to Caroline, but it was only a stale reflection of how Patagonia normally affected him. It did not help that Rio Grande was probably one of the most desolate places in all of Tierra del Fuego, and for some reason, he yearned to move on to Ushuaia. He had always liked the town and its surroundings, and despite the growing level of civilization the international tourism had entailed, there was still something very pristine about it. On the eighth day of their search in Rio Grande and adjacent territories, Klaus had had enough.

"We will move on to Ushuaia tomorrow. Something tells me she has never been in this area. No one would actually settle in this depressing place if they could help it, would you not agree?" he asked Elijah and Silv who had just descended from their hotel room to have some dinner.

Silv looked a little relieved. "No argument there. Will you join us for dinner, Klaus?"

He shook his head. He hadn't really eaten that much over the last week, but he still wasn't hungry, although he did feed every once in a while in order to preserve his strength. "No, thank you. I will make another round of the port, and we will leave at six am tomorrow. Good night." He sensed their eyes on him as he left, painfully aware that they were actually waiting for him to crack. And he certainly felt like it.

The next morning, they took to the road, and with every mile they came closer to Ushuaia, Klaus' spirits inexplicably lifted. Something told him they were on the right track, at very long last. He had no idea why, but he simply _felt_ it. It was not that he expected to drive into town and find her strolling across the main road – he was hopeful, not naïve. Still, the allure Patagonia had always held for him was strengthening by the minute, and Klaus had never believed in coincidences. There was magic here, he had always known that, and that magic would help him find her, just as Tromsø's magic had brought them closer together, so many months ago.

When they arrived, Klaus drove straight to a small hotel he remembered from his last stay a few years back. It was about three miles outside of Ushuaia, set on top of a small hill, overlooking the Beagle Channel. It was a place he would have chosen had he brought Caroline here to show her the wonders of Patagonia. His heart clenched painfully at the thought of the wonderful times they could have had travelling here together. The owners of the hotel, a charming couple in their mid-thirties, shook their heads at the sight of the picture he was showing them. Klaus' pupils dilated, and he held the picture out again. Maybe it was nothing but his desperate hope running amok, but he had the distinct feeling that something flashed through the woman's eyes for an instant. It was of no use, though. If Caroline had been here, she would have compelled them. They took two rooms and went upstairs to stash their bags before starting their search. Klaus dropped his luggage and looked around. The room was comfortable and warm, with panoramic windows and a large bathtub.

_Bathtub._

Something rang a bell inside him, but he could not quite put his finger on it. Shaking his head, he went back down to meet Elijah and Silv.

They spent the rest of the day scouring the main road. Shops, restaurants, cafés… but again, nothing. This time though, Klaus did not feel downcast. A sudden confidence had descended on him ever since they had arrived, and even more so since they had checked into the hotel. He didn't want to speak to Elijah and Silv about it, they would probably think he was losing it again, but the certainty that Caroline was not far was growing inside him with every passing minute. After dark, he drove his brother and sister-in-law back to the hotel and left the car behind. Just letting his instinct guide him, he darted off at vampire speed. After about ten aimless minutes of running, he found himself at the quay of the port, gazing at ships and boats of every size and colour. One large cruise liner, a smaller vessel which he supposed was one of the Antarctic cruisers, about a dozen sailing boats and a few small excursion ships. The strange certainty was welling up inside him again.

She had been here.

Ignoring the cruise vessels, he walked towards the smaller boats at human speed, ending up standing in front of two motor ships. There were a couple of advertising panels promoting day excursions to the penguin and sea lion colonies and along the Beagle Channel. It did not really sound like her, but then again, it did, too. Klaus scanned his surroundings. There was no sign of anyone, so he would need to be back first thing in the morning.

As he returned to his room, he sat in the small armchair and stared out at the lights of the city and the remote shadows of the mountain range of Isla Navarino. _Caroline._ He could still not get over how frighteningly empty his life had become once she had left. Before her, he had always felt lonely, but he had never really known how infinitely much worse it was to lose love once having lived it even for the shortest of moments. It scared him. He had no idea how _not_ to become a completely overbearing control maniac once he had her back, out of sheer desperate fear of losing her again. It would take all that was reasonable and balanced inside him to keep himself in check. And heaven knew that was not much.

* * *

"No, nunca la he visto. Pero por qué no le pregunta a Juanjo de Yate Tour? Su oficina está aquí al lado." The scruffy man working the deck of the excursion boat pointed towards a tiny office building. Klaus nodded curtly and jumped back onto the dock.

"Gracias."

He returned to Elijah who had been waiting for him. Silv was questioning the owners of the sailing boats a few hundred yards down the quays. "Nope. Let us try that Juanjo person, then."

Juanjo turned out to be a weathered elderly man who had very obviously spent the majority of his life at sea, exposed to winds, salt and cold. His face was deeply wrinkled and he looked just like the typical sea dog.

"Buenos días," Klaus muttered upon entering the minuscule office, "eres Juanjo?"

"Yes, I am indeed. What can I do for you, gentlemen?" the man replied in the crispest Queen's English imaginable. Klaus and Elijah looked at each other in astonishment, making Juanjo chuckle. "I know. Surprises the hell out of everybody. Wouldn't expect that down here, would you?"

Elijah smiled. "Royal Naval College?"

Juanjo nodded. "From Dartmouth to the ends of the world. How can I help you?"

Now Klaus stepped up and pulled his mobile from his pocket, scrolling to Caroline's picture and holding it out to the old seaman. "Have you seen this woman?" He knew his voice had a little crack to it, and his desperate longing was oozing from his every pore. It was all the same to him.

Taking the phone from Klaus, Juanjo donned a pair of reading glasses and glanced at the photograph. Then he looked at them over the rim of his spectacles and handed the phone back to Klaus, eyeing him closely for a very long time, obviously considering whether to say anything. At some point, Klaus just murmured, "Please." He was surprised at himself for not simply compelling the man.

"You might want to speak to Jack Dahl. His house is set back from the arterial road off Perito Francisco Moreno," Juanjo replied after another while, apparently not overly comfortable in his own skin.

"So you _have_ seen her?" Elijah asked expectantly, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"She might have been on my boat a couple of times, taking the trips to the sea lions and penguins with Jack."

Klaus tensed, feeling Elijah's grip on his shoulder tighten considerably. "Did she seem well?" he inquired, eyeing the elderly man closely.

The latter shrugged. "Have seen healthier looking ones. Pale, thin… unhappy, if you ask me. Although I had the feeling that she was in slightly better spirits after the tours. She seems to like the sea."

Swallowing heavily, Klaus closed his eyes for a split second. How had he not known that? And who was that other man? Well, they would find out in a matter of minutes. He turned around and left without another word, hearing Elijah thank Juanjo and follow him.

"Brother, do calm down. We have no idea who that man is, and you know as well as I do that Caroline would never even look at anyone besides you."

He knew his brother was right, but it was difficult not to succumb to the suffocating bout of jealousy that assaulted him in addition to his deep worry over her. They collected Silv and were on the road within the minute. Klaus' anxiety grew into something resembling fear. What if she was no longer here? What if she didn't want him anymore after all? What if… _No._ He would concentrate on finding her before worrying about anything else. His instincts had been right – she _was_ here, and that was the only thing that should be of relevance for now.

After a ten minute drive, they pulled up in front of the house Juanjo had indicated. It looked perfectly ordinary, and Klaus focused his senses. There was the sound of steps descending a flight of stairs. An older man's steps. Relief flooded him for a moment before he started walking towards the door.

"Brother," he heard Elijah just before he was about to burst through the door.

"What?" he snapped. His patience was wearing thin by now, and Elijah bloody well knew that.

"Call me a fool, but I have the distinct notion that whoever this man is, he has not been a threat to Caroline. Au contraire. Which is why I would recommend some minimum essential politeness for the time being. You can still compel him at some later stage, should he prove to be uncooperative."

With a huff, Klaus turned around and knocked. The whole situation was messing with him, and he had almost decided to tear down the house after all when it opened to reveal an old man who was looking at him suspiciously.

"Jack Dahl?"

The man took a step outside and crossed his arms over his chest. "And who wants to know that?"

"My name is Klaus Mikaelson. I am looking for my wife, Caroline, and I was told to speak to you." He held out the phone. "Where is she, Mr. Dahl?"

"I have no idea. I have never seen that woman before in my life."

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Oh well, you see, that is a shame." He grabbed the old man's shirt and slammed him into the wall. Silv and Elijah, whom he could hear heaving a heavy sigh, did not say a word, but he could sense their disapproval. He didn't care. He wanted to find Caroline, he needed to see with his own eyes that she was alive and well. He leaned over the old man, his pupils dilating.

"Where is…" he started to say, only to be interrupted by a pearly voice from behind the house.

"Jack? Where are you?"

He released the old man immediately, whirling around, his limbs turning to jelly.

"Hey, what…?" She was rounding the corner and stopped dead in her tracks, staring at him, shell-shocked.

And then she turned and ran.


	17. Coming Home

******Þakka þér kærlega**, **Ísland**! :)

**First and foremost - over 200 reviews?! Guys, seriously, I just LOVE you! I would like to just hug each and every single one of you! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!**

**As for the cliffhanger - guilty as charged... but that was the price for two chapters in one day, my lovelies! ;) And oh my God, it brought such a wonderful flood of lovely reviews again... I should end each chapter with a cliffhanger like that! (No, I won't, promise!)**

**Now, another special thanks goes to Brittsmile19, EMS, Ana20, Pnoberi, Me, Tricia, Melday7, jau0062 and the anonymous reviewers! **

**There will only be one chapter today, but it is relatively long, so please do enjoy!**

**Happy Sunday to you all! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

COMING HOME

_No! This is a dream! This is impossible! I'm hallucinating, he can't be here. Oh God, please let this be a dream! Marcel will kill him! He has to be safe, away from me…_

She didn't manage to run very far. A few seconds later, she felt his hand on her arm, his iron grip forcing her to stop. He turned her around to face him, and that was when she finally understood that this most definitely was no hallucination. His scent. His wonderful, familiar, bewitching scent. Her Klaus was here, in the flesh.

"Caroline," he whispered breathlessly, a mixture of despair, anxiety, relief, joy and rage oozing from his every pore. Hearing the beautiful dark voice that had haunted her dreams and many a waking hour so relentlessly made her completely lose her head.

"You have to leave, now! _Please_, Klaus! Just go!" She couldn't have borne to call him Niklaus right now. It would have cracked her immediately.

"Caroline, will you please calm down? No one is going to hurt me, and even less is anyone going to hurt you. And for your information, I am most definitely not going anywhere without you, ever again."

She frantically shook her head. "They are going to kill you, all of you! All of us! My Mom, Elijah, Bekah, Kol… and you! Please, Klaus! They have the last four White Oak stakes in existence, and…" She was on the verge of complete hysteria, and she knew he could see it. He gave her one rough shake, and his voice was quiet and collected now.

"You either calm down on your own or I will make you, Caroline. Let me make one thing absolutely clear – I am not above slapping you if you go into hysterics. So, can we talk now? _Please?"_ Something in his voice cut through the layers of irrational panic, confusion and disbelief, and she felt herself nod. "Good. Is there any place we can sit down?"

"My… my house," she choked out. "About five miles east, on the coastline."

"Can you run?"

She nodded and flashed off without another word, feeling him follow on her heels. When they arrived at the little cottage, she hesitated, lowering her head. "Klaus, I… don't want any memories of you in this house. I could never set foot in this place again if I had to continuously battle images of you in here."

He was standing very close behind her, not touching, but she could sense his warmth. _Warmth._ For the first time since she had left, she could actually _feel _it again. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the tremor that went all through her. His voice was right at her ear.

"I believe you are under some sort of misconception here, Caroline. The misconception being that I will leave without you. You are my wife, and there is only one place on this Earth where you belong – with me. You want to stay here for the rest of our existence? Fine. But you will have to let me build a somewhat larger house at some point."

Fighting down a violent sob, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, finally turning around to face him. She saw his eyes scrutinizing the tiny place, coming to rest on her oceanography books. His lips curved into a small smile. "And even here, even now, you never stop developing that amazing personality of yours."

Caroline ignored the next sob that threatened to surface, the warm glow spreading inside her and the almost painful longing to just jump into his strong, lovely arms. But he had no idea. She hadn't developed anything. She had given herself over to pain, sorrow, self-pity and nothingness. The overwhelming feeling of shame and disgust about feeling so weak and having let herself go for such a long time made her lash out now.

"You haven't the first clue about what I am doing here. Do you want to know? _Nothing._ I am doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself, trying to live through those endless nights with even more endless dreams of you, occupying my days as good as I can. So don't think for one second that I am developing my oh-so-fascinating personality, because I am doing nothing of the sort! I am trying to survive, and I am failing miserably. Contrary to what you always said, I'm not strong. I haven't been strong for one second ever since I left! I didn't think, I tried not to feel… and not to care."

She saw the dangerous fire in his eyes light up, the fire that only burned when he was really angry. His voice turned into a snarl.

"Is that so. Well, that certainly explains why you haven't been taking any care of yourself, doesn't it? It explains why you scared me to bloody _death_ by not feeding for _weeks_! It explains why you left me without a word, making me believe you had chickened out of everything. It explains why you sent me through all nine circles of hell, Caroline! It explains why you couldn't just come to me and stand by my side while we faced things _together_, as we are supposed to! Something you kept reminding me of on an almost daily basis, if you care to remember, _Mrs. Mikaelson_!" He was shouting by now, his voice on the verge of breaking, his eyes moistening.

_Oh God, no! Don't look at me like that!_

"How do you know I haven't been feeding?" she whispered, her pain suddenly magnified a hundredfold by the realization of the extent of his.

In a blur, he was right in front of her, grabbing her hand very roughly and placing it on his Signum. Her breath caught at the sensation of finally touching him again, feeling for herself that he was here, unharmed and alive. Feeling his warmth. "It paled, Caroline. It lost its color. I had no idea if you had been bitten by a werewolf or what the hell had happened to you. The only thing I knew was that your life was slowly fading for some reason. Damn you, Caroline! Can you even remotely imagine what it felt like to know that something was wrong with you but I had no means whatsoever to understand what it was, let alone be there for you? Fuck!" he shouted, kicking her kitchen chair and sending it flying into the wall, leaving a massive dent.

"Do you think I was having fun?" she yelled back. "I had to leave everything behind. My love, my family, my friends, my life! And in addition, I was eaten up by that devastating fear for your life, and everyone else's for that matter! The first three weeks, I didn't even care about whether or not I had a roof over my head! I wandered around in a complete daze, feeling nothing but the loss of the man I love more than anything! I still feel it, every freaking minute of every freaking day! I miss you so much it causes me physical pain to think of you! And those dreams… those dreams of you and me… God, Klaus, I woke up every morning, so happy – for all of two seconds, until reality hit and I remembered I would never see you again. Never hear your voice, feel your warmth or be held by you again. You talk about all nine circles of hell? Well, guess what – I found the tenth!"

They silently stared at each other for several minutes before Klaus took a step towards her and lowered his head, taking her hand in his almost shyly, his thumb gently stroking her fingers. "I am so sorry, my love. Here I am, overwhelmingly relieved to have finally found you, and yet I can do nothing but shout at you. Forgive me." He tilted her chin to take a good look at her, and she could see the distress in his eyes as he scrutinized her face. "So pale… so very pale. You are still not feeding regularly, are you? And have you eaten anything lately?"

The deep concern in his voice was devastating. Her knees gave, and he caught her just before she dropped to the floor.

"Caroline," he whispered, pulling her into his arms and holding her so securely she knew that not even an earthquake could tear her from his embrace, "I am here now, and I am most definitely not letting anyone or anything break you away from me ever again. I am going to take care of you, and I know you will take just as much care of me. For the Gods know we both need it. We need each other." He paused, and his eyes turned pleading in a way she had never seen them before. There was a little crack in his voice when he spoke again.

"My darling girl, I was so lost without you. Let me come home. Please."

All dams inside her burst, and she knew she would finally lose it. She felt him lift her up and carry her to her bed, lowering her onto the mattress and lying down beside her, gently nudging her head until it came to rest in the curve of his shoulder. _Home. I'm home. _The tears began to flow, sobs racking her entire body so violently she thought she would break. Everything she had bottled up inside her made its way to the surface now, every suppressed tear, every strangled sob, all her fears, her sorrow and her inconsolable yearning for him. She held on to Klaus for dear life, feeling him almost crush her in his desperate embrace, silently wishing he would hold her even more rigidly. His hands were in her hair, on her back, and his fingers were trembling as he comforted her.

It took her hours to completely cry herself out, hours during which neither of them had uttered a single word. Somewhere in the middle of her meltdown, she couldn't quite help but think how this was a déjà vu with reversed roles. Only that Klaus had spent six hundred years in pain, not just a few weeks. Finally, Caroline had recovered enough to raise her head and look at him. His gaze was so filled with anguish it almost sent her into another crying jag. She lifted a hand to stroke his cheek and saw his eyes close at her touch.

"I was a total idiot, wasn't I?" she whispered, hiding in the curve of his shoulder again.

"Yes, my love, you were. So was I, but I am sorry to say that you were no better." His tender voice softened his words, but she knew he meant them to an extent. "I promised you there was nothing we could not face as long as we stood by each other's side. And so you have always told me yourself. When have you stopped believing in that?"

It hurt to hear the truth. But she had been so blinded by her fear for him that no rational thought had been possible. For weeks. "I have never been so scared in my entire life. He said… he said he would stake you that very same day if I didn't leave immediately without seeing you or any family member again. And without ever returning. I grabbed the stake he showed me and tried to escape with it, but Bonnie… she gave me migraine, and I just couldn't run any further. She said she put a spell on the water in your car, and she gave me a vision of you. You were to black out a couple of hours later. If I left as Marcel asked, nothing would happen to you. If not, you would be staked the minute you were unconscious. God, it looked so real! You were there, desiccating, dying… They told me that if I ever warned you or anyone about the stakes, my Mom would be first to die, and everyone else was to follow. And they said the stakes were going to be spelled so anyone who touched them – other than Marcel – was going to desiccate and be killed immediately." She sniffled and lowered her head in acute embarrassment. "I had no choice. At least that's what I believed."

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Nothing happened to me, there was no blackout. I am afraid they were bluffing, Caroline, at least about the water. I will have to let Kol know about the stakes, though."

"Kol?"

"Long story. But can we postpone the talking until tomorrow, my love? I will send a quick text to everyone, letting them know I found you, and then I want to do nothing but spend the rest of the day and the entire night just holding you to convince myself that you are truly here, back in my arms where you belong."

He gently nudged her backwards and gazed down at her, his hands tenderly touching the nape of her neck. Then he gradually lowered his face to hers and covered her with soft, lingering kisses that betrayed all his anxiety, his desperate longing and his boundless relief.

"My Gods, Caroline, I have no words for how much I love you. I've yearned for you more than I will ever be able to express. My heart, my head, my soul, my body – everything that I am needs you so very badly. Don't ever do that to me again, no matter what happens. Do you hear me? I am a warrior and I have fought battles all my life, but I am not strong enough to fight my way through losing you ever again," he whispered, just before his lips covered hers with all the consuming love he felt for her. Their lips moved slowly, cautiously, rediscovering one another with infinite care. For a very long while, there were no sounds but their almost inaudible sighs. Then Caroline gently broke the kiss, running her hands through his hair.

"I would never leave you voluntarily, and I want your promise that you will never doubt me again, not for one second. Niklaus, I love you more than ever, and if there is one thing this whole disaster proved, it is that our bond is real and unbreakable, don't you think? You are _my_ light, Niklaus, and it nearly killed me to be away from you. I will never allow anything like this to happen to us again. Please forgive me for having been so incredibly stupid."

He shook his head, and she saw his eyes were faintly shimmering again. "You need to forgive _me._ I… fell off the wagon when you left. I was not able to think rationally, to think at all, or I would have come for you so very much sooner. It took me weeks to regain my sanity. I will tell you what happened to me, just as I need to hear about everything you have gone through, but it will all have to wait."

Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he quickly composed a text, then he put it away and turned to her again, pulling the covers over them and gathering her so close she could hardly breathe. _Breathing is overrated._

"Right now, all that matters to me is to keep you warm, my Caroline."

* * *

After weeks of going through hell, returning to heaven was all the more powerful. Caroline awoke to the miracle of Klaus' arms wrapped tightly around her, his face buried in her hair and his warm, steady breath on her neck. For a moment, fear clutched at her heart again, the fear of still being trapped within the confines of a dream and about to wake up to find herself alone and cold at the end of the world.

Only that it wasn't a dream this time.

She was warm, safe and infinitely comfortable. Her mind was at peace and she was… _herself._ Nothing else mattered right now, and she didn't care about the dangers awaiting them, about how she would need to confront her friends and family who had certainly been worried and were probably royally pissed at her. She would face everything with him at her side, and now that he was here, safe in her arms, she could just not imagine how she had ever been able to forget that they were indestructible together, and how she had let fear consume her to the point of abandoning everything. Even if she had thought to have done it to save him. Fear was beyond overwhelming at times, she had learned that the very hard way now, but she vowed to herself that she would never let it rule her actions like this again.

"My love," he suddenly whispered and she felt his arms tighten around her, "you can't even begin to imagine how desperately I have missed this. To find you in my arms when I wake, and to do... this." His soft lips traced a pattern right below her jawline. Not seductively, but with such love and tenderness that it quite simply took her breath away.

Caroline snuggled deep into his chest, pulling him even closer. "Believe me, I can. Big time."

They were silent for a long while, basking in the sweet redemption of finally being back where they belonged. Caroline wondered if there was any chance of not having to let go of him ever again, but odds were he would want to feed at some point. Or have a shower. Or kill Marcel. Although none of that stringently required letting go of him.

"Much as I loathe the thought of releasing you from my arms for more than two seconds at a time," he murmured, making her wonder whether he was pulling an Edward Cullen and reading her mind, "I need to talk to you, Caroline. I need to know everything that happened to you, and I want to tell you what I did and did not do after you left."

She nodded. The sooner she told him about her time alone, the sooner she could start the process of coming to terms with it. Something told her it had left its mark on her, and how that mark would finally show remained to be seen. But he was right, they needed to talk about their separation, otherwise it would become the big elephant in the room, and Caroline didn't want any distance, any obstacles between them. Not now, not ever again.

Squeezing his hand, she gestured towards the window. "Sit outside?" she asked. "I'll make us some tea. Would you like a blood bag? I still have a couple of them in the fridge."

Klaus smiled and shook his head. "I am good, thank you. But you will have one, and a tea would indeed be nice." He cast a suspicious look at the skies. "It is going to rain. Are you certain you want to sit outside?"

Caroline scrutinized the layer of low-hanging, dark clouds. "It won't rain. Trust me." Weeks of staring at the constantly present storm clouds had taught her to recognize when it would and wouldn't rain. Hugging him tightly, she got off the bed and stepped into the tiny kitchen, pulling out the kettle and filling it with water. Taking her only two cups from the shelf, she felt his arms come around her and his lips press a soft kiss to her neck. With a deep sigh, she put down the cups and covered his hands with hers, leaning into him, closing her eyes. After a while, she mumbled, "Tea."

With a light chuckle, he kissed her neck again. "Who cares?"

"You will, once we sit outside and the Roaring Forties will make you feel like they are blowing right through you." She paused for a moment. "I will have to go and see if Jack is all right later today. You probably scared the hell out of him."

Klaus nodded. "Of course. Although I am quite certain Elijah compelled him before leaving. You like him, do you not?"

"This will probably sound stupid, but he was something like my haven of reason. A sanctuary. He grounded me to an extent, and he would never stop trying to get me out of my shell a little bit further. I owe him a lot, Niklaus."

"Then so do I. But let us start at the beginning, shall we?"

Caroline handed him a tea cup, grabbed a blood bag and a blanket and led the way outside. Huddling together on the bench, she spread the blanket over both of them and leaned into him, sipping her blood. "By the way, I think it's lovely that Elijah and Silv came with you."

"Well, then you had better prepare for a crowd, my love, because _everyone_ came with me. Bekah, Elena and the Salvatores."

"They're all here?" Caroline almost shrieked.

"They will be soon. Damon and Elena were looking for you in Puerto Williams, and Bekah and Stefan are in Punta Arenas. All of them should be arriving in Ushuaia over the course of the day."

Caroline hung her head and whispered, "How mad are they at me?"

Setting down his tea, Klaus cupped her face with his hands and let his lips melt with hers. The kiss was very sweet, very loving, and Caroline couldn't get enough of the delicious feeling of relief at being able to just reach out and touch him again. And of how much he was home to her. "None of them is angry with you. They were all deeply worried, and they all missed you dearly. They will be overjoyed to have you back, sweetheart. Okay, you might want to brace yourself for some minor ribbing from Damon, though. I think he was not overly ecstatic about having to babysit me for weeks."

"Wait, _what_?" she exclaimed, a look of utter disbelief on her face. "Damon had to do _what_?"

With a light grin, Klaus shook his head. "Uh-uh. You first. My darkest hours will have to wait." He sobered and looked at her very intently. "Tell me everything that happened, Caroline. Do not leave anything out."

Hesitantly, she began to speak. He stopped her when she told him about her first weeks in Patagonia.

"Caroline, when you said yesterday that you did not have a roof over your head, I assumed you were referring to a _permanent_ roof, as in changing hotels on a daily basis. Now you are telling me you spent _three weeks out in the open_?"

She dropped her head again. "I did stay at some small hotel, twice, I think."

He took up his tea cup very slowly, apparently trying to get a hold on himself. "Care to explain to me what you have been thinking?" he gritted out between clenched teeth.

"I didn't think at all. I didn't care. I just wandered about the area, mostly along the coastline, spending my time staring at the sea and trying to come to terms with losing you. It felt right to do that surrounded by the elements. I think I wanted to have the storms erase all the pain or something of the sort. It didn't really work, and after a few weeks, I happened across this little cottage and decided that I couldn't go on wandering the wilderness forever. And it got more strenuous, too, what with the lack of blood."

Klaus took a few deep breaths. "You are aware that, had you not started feeding, you could have just collapsed in the middle of nowhere, unable to move and without any chance at anyone ever finding you?" he hissed, murder in his eyes.

"Niklaus, I thought I would never see you again. Nothing mattered to me anymore."

"What changed your mind?" he demanded.

Caroline thought about that for a moment. "I don't think anything really changed my mind. It was just some deeply rooted survival instinct that kicked in at some point. So I fed. I… fed on a woman, Niklaus. I just didn't care whether it was a bunny, a guanaco or a person!" A sob threatened its way to the surface, but she fought it down. She had cried enough for an entire year.

"Did you kill her?" he asked very softly, stroking her hair the way she loved so much. Caroline shook her head.

"I healed her, and I compelled both the woman and her husband. But still… I can't believe I did that! It goes against my very grain, you know that."

Klaus nodded. She knew he would never understand her reluctance to feed of humans, but he had always accepted it and never tried to proselytize her, just as she had never attempted to reform him. But she hoped he understood how it weighed on her conscience now.

"In extreme situations, priorities tend to shift, and not always in a positive way. Needs become more basic and their fulfillment more urgent, more primal. See the upside to it, my love – in spite of your overwhelming instincts, you still cared enough not to hurt the woman, you healed her. Knowing you, I would suspect you probably even apologized, if only in your head."

She stared at him, wide-eyed. "You do know me."

Pulling her close, his lips gently brushed her temple. "So what happened then?"

"I moved into a little hotel just outside of Ushuaia. A lovely place, on a hilltop…"

"… overlooking the Channel, owned by a couple, nice, cozy rooms."

She stared at him, nonplussed. "How do you know?"

"We're staying there."

Shaking her head, she looked out at the Channel. Coincidences were a funny thing. Although sometimes, she wasn't sure whether she still believed in coincidences. She knew Klaus didn't, and neither did Elijah. "Anyway, the first night at that hotel, I had the feeling that it was the right thing to do. Getting in touch with reality again and returning to elementary functioning. I took a very long bath, hoping to find some warmth – which I didn't – and went to sleep. That night, I had a very intense dream. A dream of you making love to me in the bathtub. The next morning…"

"Wait," he interrupted her, "that dream about the bathtub. It was on the same day you finally fed?"

"Yeah. And the first night I really slept for a few hours. Why?"

Klaus stared at the clouds with a thoughtful expression. "That morning, I awoke from a dream, completely and utterly aroused. It was a dream of… you and me in a bathtub. And right after that, I saw the Signum was back to full colour. We had the same dream at the same time, Caroline." He paused and considered. "I would suspect it has something to do with our bond. Your life was no longer fading, and that night was the first night after I… returned to reality, if you will. So maybe it was about showing us that little spark of life a little more graphically, to remind us that there was something to live for."

"Not that I don't like the idea, but isn't that a tad too romantic?" Caroline remarked, although not quite able to hide a smile.

"Hey, I do not make the rules," he grinned. "But I will try to find out more about Signums. They seem to be a little more than just simple markings. So then you moved into this cottage?"

"It wasn't quite habitable, so I compelled two carpenters to restore it and install rudimentary things like warm water and the like. After I moved in, I spent most of my days sitting right here and looking at the sea. One day, I met Jack who was on one of his daily walks and saw me. He came to talk to me, and it gave my mind the first real break in weeks. I hadn't had any sort of conversation with anyone other than the people I compelled, so for the first time, I was a little distracted. From that day on, Jack came by almost every day and at some point, he started showing me the area. We went on quite a few boat trips…"

With a smile, Klaus ran a hand over her hair again. "That boat captain told me. He remembered you. Very sloppy, Mrs. Mikaelson, you forgot to compel him. Thankfully."

"I suppose I wanted to have at least a couple of people remembering me. And it was probably something about that British accent… or maybe I was just unconsciously leaving breadcrumbs for you in the unlikely case you would ever track me here. I'm really not Dr. Kimble material, am I?"

Pulling her close, he hugged her tightly. "And heaven knows I am beyond appreciative of that fact right now. But he also told me he thought you liked the sea. You never said anything about that before."

Caroline nodded and snuggled into his embrace, still marveling at how much of a basic necessity it had become to her. _My rock._ "I hadn't realized it myself. When we were on Aitutaki, it was lovely to go on the little boat tours, but all I could actually think of at the time was getting you laid." She giggled, making him pull on her hair. "But this was different. Maybe because the sea is so raw, so primordial down here. I think I have really grown to love the ocean, Niklaus."

He gazed at her very pensively, then his eyes moved on to the deep grey waters of the Channel. She watched him as he took in the scenery like he was seeing it for the very first time. After a while, he turned his gaze back to her. "Would you like to live down here, Caroline? Permanently?"

Her breath caught. _He is serious! He would stay here with you! He would leave everything else behind! _She brushed her knuckles across his cheek and closed her eyes when he turned his head to kiss her fingers. "No, not now. Maybe in a few years. But I would like to come and visit often, once we get rid of all the dangers back at home, and I quite honestly, I would love nothing more than to live by the sea at some point. Maybe we can alternate, because I'm sure you don't want to leave your city for any length of time…"

She stopped when she saw him shake his head. "Everything can be arranged. But you are right, we will need to take care of the threat Marcel and Bonnie represent before we can consider permanent residences elsewhere. Once the situation is under control, though, I will be happy to live anywhere you desire. And I will finally take you to see the world, as I have promised you so many times."

Caroline gave a quick shiver. It sounded like paradise. But first things first. "Now, your turn. What happened after I left?"

Klaus exhaled and took a sip of his tea that had already gone cold in the strong winds. "Elijah broke the news to me after he spoke to Remy. Which reminds me…" he set the cup down and pulled something out of his pocket.

Her rings.

Taking her hand, he looked at her earnestly before he kissed her fingers. His voice was very urgent, and she could hear the raw emotion in it.

"Do not ever take them off again. Not matter what happens, Caroline Mikaelson. Not _ever._"

With that, he slipped her engagement ring and her wedding band back on her finger, placing another kiss on her hand.

_I said no more crying, dammit!_ Looking down at her rings, she smiled through the two little tears that slipped through her defenses. When she had handed them to Remy, she had thought she would never lay eyes on them again, and once or twice, the question had crossed her mind what Klaus had done with them. She took his hand and gently kissed his own wedding band before placing her hand on his heart.

"I swear, Niklaus. I will never take them off again until all time ends."

He closed his eyes for an instant before tenderly touching his lips to hers. Caroline was still marveling at the sight of her rings on her finger when he continued.

"I did not respond to reason. I refused to hear anything Elijah or anyone else had to say on how there was something off about the way you had disappeared, just as you, my love, did not see any other possibility than doing what they had told you to. The only thing that my mind was able to register was that you had left me. That what was between us was not enough for you to fight for." Caroline winced, but she let him continue. "So I just ran aimlessly through the swamps and forests until somehow, I found myself at Caligula's paddock. I have no idea how long I was there before Stefan discovered me and drove me home. And there I… went into some sort of catatonic state for three days, the way I did after Tiffauges."

"Oh, Niklaus," Caroline whispered, appalled at how her disappearance had apparently affected him just as badly as watching his baby brother being tortured. She moved closer and let her arms sneak around his waist.

"They watched me twenty-four seven. Elijah apparently feared I would try something funny, and he was not entirely wrong. After those three days, I came out of my room and my big brother snapped my neck almost instantly – he saw what I was about to do."

"You wanted to turn it off," she said, closing her eyes.

"Indeed. So Elijah did the only thing that kept me from trying again when I came to. He called in the biggest debt I owe him, the one I will owe him forever." Caroline stared at him, not sure what was coming. "He reminded me of what I did to him the one time he had turned it off."

"Silv," she whispered, understanding now. She remembered how Elijah had never wanted either Silv or Klaus to know that he was aware of what had happened between them decades ago. It had taken him years to get over it, and as he had succeeded in forgiving them both, he wanted the dust to settle. Bringing up that issue with Klaus must have cost him dearly. _He really, really loves his brother. Thank you, Elijah._

"Exactly. I had no idea that he knew, and the guilt almost suffocated me. It was the one thing that got through to me, though, so I agreed not to turn it off, at least for a while. Elijah recruited Salvatore the Elder to babysit me, just in case, and to keep me distracted. There was alcohol – hectoliters of it – and there was blood. There were drugs."

"Drugs?"

"Cocaine, to be specific, a couple of times. However, similar to alcohol, it does not really have that much of an effect on us."

Her eyes widened. _Wow. That's… something! _She hesitated. "Were there… other women, too?" she asked nervously, bracing for his answer.

Klaus was silent for a moment, and Caroline felt the fear inside her rise. "I thought about it once. A couple of weeks after you left, at some sordid bar I had dragged Damon to. There were a few women around, whores plying their trade. One of them was rather persistent, so for one split second, I heard that little voice inside me reminding me of how the company of women used to relieve my loneliness ever so briefly." He paused to look at her, seeing the pain in her eyes. "I couldn't. All I saw was you."

"But you thought about it," she couldn't help but insist.

"Yes, Caroline. I thought about it. I have spent a thousand years using remedies for my loneliness, and that was one of them. The otherworldly happiness I lived with you may have changed me in many ways, but it did not erase who I was for an entire millennium. However, the mere thought of touching another woman turned out to be beyond repulsive. And it would have done nothing to relieve my loneliness, Caroline. The only one who can take that feeling from me is you, and I believe you know that."

She nodded, but the pain hadn't quite subsided. As always, he saw right through her. "Stop hurting over this, my love. It was a fleeting thought, a reflex reaction that crossed my mind once for about two seconds. My thoughts never wandered back in that direction, not even for an instant. Look at me," he urged. "What do you see?"

Caroline lifted her eyes to his. They were full of emotion, of love, of longing. "You see how much I love you, how deeply rooted and permanent the hold is you have over me. Tell me, my love – do you see anything that makes you doubt?"

Staring into his beautiful, dark eyes, she felt herself settle. _Stop overreacting. Now! _"No," she shook her head. "I don't doubt you. It just… hurt for a second."

"I know. Just as it hurts me to see you smile at Remy, especially with him looking at you the way he does, even when I do not doubt you, either."

She closed her eyes for a moment. They really had nothing on each other when it came to jealousy, and Caroline understood him so perfectly. Even though he knew he had no reason to believe she would ever give so much as a second thought to Remy, he still couldn't help feeling like crap about it.

"So what else happened?" she asked, wary of how much further he had fallen off the wagon.

"I shed blood. Aimlessly."

Burying her face in her hands, she mumbled, "How many?"

"It would have been about half a dozen."

"Would have been?" she demanded, looking up at him questioningly.

"That last day before I returned to some basic level of functioning, I escaped Watchdog Salvatore and ended up at a very run-down shack in town. After I wreaked havoc on the place, Damon found me. The men were not dead, but close, and he healed them for some reason I still cannot fathom. But I honestly did not care, Caroline. I would have let them die without blinking."

Taking a very deep breath, Caroline considered his confession. He was no little angel, she had always known that and she had accepted it long ago. But he hadn't gone on any rampages ever since they had fallen in love, which had made it so easy for her to forget he was the Big Bad Hybrid after all. She thought back to her first weeks after she had left him. She had been too apathetic to care about anything or anyone. And she recalled how there had been a split second of murderous rage when she had sunk her teeth into the neck of that woman she had fed of. It was in her as it was in all of them, and she had to take into account that ever since they had become an item, he hadn't gone around randomly killing people.

"Why did you tell me? It's not like Damon would have ratted you out," she inquired, scanning his face closely.

"I made a promise to you once, remember? No compulsion, no lies. I told you I fell off the wagon, and I also told you I would keep nothing from you about that time. So what is the sentence?" he asked, and Caroline detected anxiety in his voice. Even though he feared this would be standing between them, he had still told her. And he had been as out of it as she had been herself, only with different outlets for their despair. _Let him off the hook. First, this wouldn't have happened had you not left, and second, you will take care that it won't happen again. _She looked him in the face and bit her lip, not able to help the slightly snippy tone that entered her voice.

"Did you at least have fun?"

He scoffed at that. "Yes, I had a blast taking down a bunch of run-down drug dealers instead of spending my day making love to you. Do not expect the 'I will never do it again' speech, Caroline. Would I have done it under normal circumstances? No, not anymore, and you know why. But it happened, and I cannot undo it."

"Okay. I don't want to fight with you over this, Niklaus. But I want your word you will never, _ever,_ randomly prey on anyone again out of sheer fun or frustration. This is the one thing I will not compromise on."

Clenching his teeth, he huffed. She knew he hated being handled, even by her, but she also knew he would never risk pushing her away over something that held so little significance to him. "I will do my best."

With a sigh, she nodded. It would have to suffice. She had been without him for too long and had missed him so desperately that she couldn't really stand the thought of being at odds with him now, whatever the reason and however short the time. Pathetic, probably, but it was what it was. She would pick up the topic at some point in the future, although she doubted she would need to.

It was blatantly obvious that he was relieved beyond imagination. He pulled her onto his lap and almost crushed her with his arms, pressing her to him and burying his face on her shoulder. They held on to each other for a while before Caroline spoke again.

"How did you snap out of it after your… lapses?"

"I think it was a combination of factors, but mainly… Caligula." Recounting the events of that afternoon, he still had to shake his head a few times. "That horse is eerie at times," he concluded his story.

"That horse loves you," she smiled.

"Which makes him no less eerie," he retorted, then he went on to tell her how they had tracked her down with Silv's help and scoured almost all of Southern Patagonia for her.

"Wow, Sherlock has nothing on you, has he?" Caroline commented, back to basking in the warmth he was exuding. "So, when will we be heading back, then?"

Klaus shook his head determinedly. "We will not, at least not immediately. The others will. Bekah, Elena and the Salvatores will travel back to Mystic Falls and stay there until we return. I put Kol in charge of finding out more about what they are working on and of clandestinely looking for a few more allies, and I believe he will be able to handle things for a while."

With an appreciative smile, she nodded. "Good idea. And about time, too."

He kissed her before he went on. "But I am taking care of your needs first, Caroline. Before we return to face what is to be faced, we will catch our breaths. You will tell me what it is you wish me to do. Where to take you, what to give you, how to be with you. Anything. Everything. And want to wake up in the morning to the feeling of your lovely, soft body in my arms, spend the day at your side and just hold you all night until all of my senses have finally registered that I have you back. I need you, my beautiful girl."

Caroline had stopped breathing at his urgent words – and at the butterflies that were doing the Tango inside her stomach. "Can we stay here for another while? In that little hotel on the hill?"

That seemed to take him by surprise. "Are you certain? I would have thought you would want to leave as quickly as possible, given the past weeks."

"I want to see Patagonia with happy eyes. I want to feel the magic. I mean, I know it's there, but I haven't really been able to feel it at all, and I want that. Look, I know this will sound completely silly to you, but… I want to do some exploring with you, I want to see Cape Horn and the glaciers. I want some more boating. And take a break before we return, concentrating only on you and me. If…" she looked up at him almost shyly, "that's okay with you, of course. A lot of "I want" in there, I know. What do you want, Niklaus?"

"You. That is all that matters. And incidentally – everything you just mentioned sounds utterly appealing to me. With one little addition."

The mischievous gleam she hadn't seen for so long was back in his eyes. _Uh-oh. This can't be good._ She grinned expectantly. "Which is?"

"Jump a glacier."

Her eyes all but bulged out of the sockets. "Ex_cuse_ me?"

"Jump. From a glacier. Into the water. Vampires, remember? Unbreakable!"

"You've gotta be kidding me! I am not jumping off a freaking glacier into the even more freakingly ice-cold water!"

"I hate to correct you, my love, but technically, the glacier is colder than the water." He snickered. "Don't be a sissy."

"I'll show you sissy! Jumping glaciers, and without even a bottle of Krug awaiting me at the bottom of the deep, dark sea? Forget it, Frost Giant!" She giggled and slapped his shoulder. Oh God, laughing and joking like that was like throwing off the chains that still had held her captive to an extent. Like… escaping from a dungeon. She had almost entirely forgotten how good it felt.

"Krug can always be arranged. Only for those who jump, of course."

"You're totally insane."

He cradled her face in his hands and gave her a tender smile.

"Not anymore."


	18. Hieronymus Bosch

**Много благодаря България! :)**

**Once again, I would like to thank Ana20, Tricia, Justine and Brittsmile19 and the anons for their lovely comments!  
**

**And of course, I very, very much appreciate everyone who is taking the time to read - thank you all! **

**Some quieter times ahead for a little while, but I do believe they deserve them.**

**Thank you!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HIERONYMUS BOSCH

As Klaus had assumed, Elijah had indeed compelled Jack, so when Caroline arrived at his house with Klaus in tow, he did not remember any of what had happened the day before. He opened the door with a bright smile that turned somewhat apprehensive when he spotted the stranger standing next to his neighbour.

"Eve?" he asked cautiously. "You brought a friend?"

Caroline flushed only the slightest bit. "Jack, I think I owe you an explantion. My name is not actually Eve. It's Caroline. Caroline Mikaelson. And this is my husband, Klaus. May we both come in?"

The old man eyed them both for a while. "Of course." He stepped aside to let them pass and led them to the living room, gesturing towards the couch. "Have a seat." He looked at Caroline again, then he said, "I was relatively certain Eve was not your real name. It would have been very surprising for such an amazing young woman to simply choose to exile herself to the ends of the world without some very pressing reasons." He gazed at Klaus warily.

"It's a bit complicated, Jack. You see… someone was threatening Klaus and… forced me to leave him, making me swear never to see him again. I just lost my head and thought the only way to save him was to go, so I came here."

Jack leaned back into his armchair, scrutinizing Klaus. "You strike me as the kind of man who is capable of looking after himself."

Klaus nodded. Caroline could tell he did not dislike the old man at all, despite his being a human. "I am. But my wife tends to react a little drastically when my life is being threatened."

"That seems to be a common occurrence, then," Jack commented dryly, pulling a genuine smile from Klaus.

"I am a powerful man, Mr. Dahl. Power entails envy."

Jack weighed Klaus' answer for a while. Then he looked at Caroline and smiled. "Would you care for some tea?"

They talked for a while, and after a bit of a bumpy start, Caroline was completely nonplussed at seeing Klaus and Jack actually hit it off, especially when Klaus spotted the old map of Patagonia on the wall and began to discuss some complicated historical events that had something to do with Chilean territory claims. The two men ended up in front of the map, pointing at different spots while heatedly debating where the border was, had been, should be and should have been. With a perplexed smile, Caroline mumbled something about fixing more tea and sauntered to the kitchen. She had never seen Klaus that much at ease with a human, but then she had to take into account he had reason to be grateful to Jack, and whatever else could be said about her Big Bad Hybrid, he always recognized when someone did him a favour, even if unconsciously so.

When she starting fussing with the kettle, she heard Jack's subdued whisper. The old man had no idea that she could hear every word, so she just kept clanking and moving pots around.

"Listen, Mr. Mikaelson, I know it is actually none of my business, but I got to know your wife a little bit over the past weeks, and she is a very special young lady."

Caroline could almost see Klaus' dimpled smile. "I am acutely aware of that fact, Mr. Dahl."

There was a moment of silence before Jack spoke again. "I have never seen anyone so desolate, so deeply heartbroken, and believe me, the heartbroken abound down here. When I first met her, she looked the picture of misery. Are you at all familiar with the world of art, Mr. Mikaelson?"

Caroline grinned as she heard him reply, "Marginally."

"There is a painting by Hieronymus Bosch called 'The Garden of Earthly Delights'. It consists of three panels with different themes."

"I have seen it, yes. What is your drift?"

"My drift, Mr. Mikaelson, is that looking into Caroline's eyes was like looking at the third panel."

A very long silence followed, but Caroline had been at no loss to hear Klaus' sharp intake of breath. She would need to ask him about that painting later. What did Jack mean?

"It was only very slowly that she managed to find her way to some basic form of existence." Jack paused, and Caroline had to swallow at his next words. "Take care of her and never let her look like that again. There is a light about her, and that light should never be extinguished, Mr. Mikaelson."

Caroline wished she could see Klaus' face now, and she was a little nervous about his reaction, being lectured like that by a human.

"It is Klaus." _Whoa, what? _ "Mr. Dahl, we are planning to do some more exploring of Tierra del Fuego. I know Caroline very much enjoyed taking the boat tours with you, and I am planning on renting a boat for a little tour of Cape Horn. Would you like to join us?"

The tea cup she was holding crashed to the floor and splintered into dozens of pieces. She could hear Klaus' subdued chuckle. "Are you still on drugs?" she whispered so only he could hear. _He must have turned into a junkie! _But then she remembered how charming he had been to the old lady at the restaurant back in Norway all those months ago, and to the other patrons at the restaurant the evening after that. He could be perfectly civilized around humans when he wanted to. And he obviously felt deeply indebted to Jack for having been so kind to her. Shaking her head, she called, "Sorry Jack, I broke a tea cup!"

"No problem," he called from the living room, "that's the ugly set anyway!" And in a whisper, she heard him say to Klaus, "That would be nice. And it is Jack."

When she returned to them, Jack asked, "Will you be staying on at the cottage, then?"

Caroline shook her head. "No, I will move to the little hotel on the hill. The cottage is a bit small for two people."

With a wide grin, he replied, "Good. Otherwise the Church will start to finally charge you rent at some point."

Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at the old man, stupefied. He laughed out loud at her dumbstruck expression and patted her hand. "The cottage belongs to the Church, dear Caroline, even though they have no use for it. But as you had it so charmingly renovated, they will probably tend to overlook the rent issue."

And with a chuckle, he winked at her.

_The Church giving shelter to a vampire. How much more ironic can it get?_

* * *

"Care! Oh thank _God!_ "

Before Caroline could even get out of the car, she found herself in Elena's bear hug, being pulled from the passenger seat and almost crushed to death. But she didn't complain and hugged her friend back with all her might.

"Lena, you have no idea how happy I am to see you! Sorry for all this… drama, and for dragging you to the ends oce sounded from behind Elena. "First it's the North Cape, now the South Pole… more or less… not to mention the fact that it is Blondie's fault I had to spend weeks riding herd on Oscar the Grouch here."

Caroline just grinned. Not that she would ever have entertained such an absurd idea, but she was actually even glad to see the older Salvatore brother. "Thanks, Damon. It's good to see you, too. Found any compelled horses yet?" She heard Klaus snicker behind her and turned to Stefan who was standing next to his brother. He just hugged her, although not quite as violently as Elena, then took a step back to examine her appearance.

"You look like crap, Care. But hell, I'm glad to have you back. Although I have to agree with Damon on one thing – next time, can it please be something along the lines of the Mediterranean?"

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered, "I sincerely hope there will be no next time!"

"So do I. Klaus, I won't have to ask how you are, right?" _Okay, seems everyone is on drugs,. What happened while I was gone? World peace? _

She turned around to see Klaus look at Stefan and shake his head. "No, mate. You don't have to." Caroline was about to ask what on Earth was going on when she was pulled into the next embrace.

"Never a dull moment with you, is there?" Rebekah asked. Caroline silently squeezed her sister-in-law who seemed to actually wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. She smiled brightly at Caroline, then moved on to throw her arms around her brother. "Don't let her escape again. You're insufferable when she is gone."

Klaus gave his sister a quick hug. "Believe me, little sister, I know."

Silv and Elijah were just stepping out of the hotel. The brunette have a quick laugh of delight and raced towards Caroline, crushing her almost like Elena had a minute earlier. Caroline stared at her in amazement. Silv was not usually this exuberant, except when it came to sports cars. "You are aware I'm not actually a Porsche Whatever, right?" Caroline attempted to joke. The older woman just held her away at arm's length and examined her closely. Her voice was strained when she spoke.

"I missed you, Care."

Caroline pulled her sister-in-law back into her embrace, a big lump in her throat. "I missed you, too, Silv." They stood for a while, just hugging each other, until someone cleared his throat.

"My turn, I believe," Elijah's calm voice sounded from behind them. Caroline looked up to see the man whom she had come to truly consider her older brother gazing at them with a light smile. Silv released her and stepped aside, turning to briefly squeeze Elena's hand.

"Elijah," Caroline choked out, suddenly full of fear and remorse. _Please don't let him be disappointed in me!_ "Brother, I am so…" She didn't get any further as the older Original embraced her gently.

"Sister. We found you. That is the only matter of relevance. There is no need to apologize for anything at all. You did what you thought you had to do to keep my brother safe, and you know how I feel about that."

She lifted her head to see him look at Klaus over her shoulder. It was one of those moments when Caroline secretly wondered how Klaus could ever have felt lonely with a brother like Elijah who cared so infinitely much about him. But then her lovely man had never been able to bring himself to believe anyone cared about him at all for a thousand years. Elijah turned his gaze towards her again and tilted her chin. "I have missed you, too, Caroline. Apart from Niklaus being insufferable indeed, it is just not the same without you. I am very, _very _glad we have found you, sister. But from now on, no more daring escapes without prior consultation, is that clear?"

Caroline wiped a tear from her cheek and, to everyone's surprise, threw herself into Elijah's arms again. "I give you my word." She hugged him with all her might, then she released him to turn around and look for Klaus. He was standing a little on the side, hands clutched behind his back, watching the scene with an unfathomable expression. Something told Caroline he was still coming to terms with the changes his respective relationships with his siblings and the gang from Mystic Falls had experienced. Accepting her love for him had been a struggle, but peaceful gatherings or the fact that everyone had helped him were still so new to Klaus that he didn't quite know how to handle them.

"Shall we all reconvene for dinner in an hour?" he asked now, looking around. "The hotel's restaurant is small but exceedingly good, and I do believe we could all do with a little break."

* * *

Dinner was a fun affair. The relief at having found Caroline and seeing Klaus back from the verge of genocide made the whole group a little boisterous. Which had nothing to do with the staggering amount of bottles of Argentinian wine that were all but inhaled. _Of course not._

Klaus and Damon had reverted to their usual snapping at each other, but despite the lighthearted banter, Caroline noticed that something had very subtly changed between the two of them. They seemed… _closer_ somehow, which should probably not come as a surprise, given the weeks they had spent roaming New Orleans together. She had also observed how her husband and Stefan had shared some moments of quiet conversation, and there was no more of the lingering tension in Stefan's face that had always been present during any of his encounters with Klaus. Was it possible that her Big Bad Hybrid of a husband did actually have something remotely resembling _friends _now? Even Bekah and Elena looked quite at ease with each other, and apart from Klaus and Stefan, that had been the most strained of relationships for obvious reasons.

Caroline felt the warmth fill her entire body while watching her family happily banter away, putting everything on hold for one night, just being themselves. How she had missed each and every one of them! She grabbed her wine glass and took a sip, marveling at Klaus' hand that hadn't let go of her all evening. Nudging him gently, she inquired, "What did Jack mean about that painting?"

Klaus' eyes darkened. He pulled out his phone and typed something into the browser. A few moments later, he held it out to her. "This is what he was talking about. He thought looking into your eyes was like seeing this."

Taking the phone, Caroline brought her glass to her lips and stopped mid-movement. The scene depicted a town succumbed to inferno. Fire was blasting from windows and chimneys, people were being pushed into a red-hot pool of burning lava. There were surreal images of severed and deformed beings crawling from a black pond, musicians being tortured with their own instruments and demons haunting everyone. It was hypnotic, deeply disturbing, and despite hellfires being spread all over the painting, it exuded a deadly coldness.

She could not stop staring at the image. Her eyes couldn't have looked like _this._ It was the most unsettling piece of art she had seen so far, leaving her without any means to even describe how it made her feel.

Then, without a warning, it happened.

An oppressive blackness descended inside her and she was almost knocked off the chair by the sheer panic that gripped her, mercilessly clutching at her heart. The cold was back. She started to hyperventilate, even though she didn't really require any breathing, but it seemed to be a reflex reaction. Klaus turned to her and immediately grabbed her shoulders.

"Caroline. What is it?"

She just shook her head and jumped up, flashing out of the restaurant and up the stairs into their room. He was right behind her, turning her around to face him the second he had closed the door behind him.

"Cold," she whispered, "I'm cold. And I'm scared, but I don't know why."

Klaus' eyes narrowed as he carefully examined her face. After a couple of seconds, he nodded and gently placed his hand on her chest above her heart, exerting only the slightest amount of pressure. His other hand sneaked into her hair and he pulled her face close to his, looking into her frightened eyes with calm serenity.

"Shh. I am here. You are not alone, Caroline, you are with me, with your family and friends. None of us is harmed, and none of us ever will be. You will not lose any of us, and you will never be without me again. Do you understand me?"

His voice was quiet and soothing, full of gentleness but firm. His hand on her heart exuded warmth, and the warmth gradually spread inside her, just as the slight pressure gave her a feeling of comfort and stability. Her frantic breathing slowed down, and the deep blackness that had settled inside her lifted bit by bit. Klaus pulled her closer and softly kissed her forehead, lingering for almost a minute.

Together with the warmth, Caroline felt reason return. She moved into his embrace, breathing deeply and steadily against his chest. After a couple of minutes, she felt like she was back to her old self and looked up at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Niklaus. I… have no idea what that was! Do you think Bonnie – or someone else – is messing with my head?"

Klaus smiled, although she could see the concern in his eyes, and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "No, my love. I believe this was something much more mundane. A simple, old-fashioned panic attack."

She stared at him in disbelief. "I'm a vampire! We don't have panic attacks!"

"Oh, believe me, we do. Just as we have nightmares, happy dreams and all sorts of feelings. As is always the case with our heightened emotions, those attacks are much stronger than they are for humans. You have just gone through the most distressing weeks of your life, my darling, and it would be very surprising had that not left any marks inside you. The painting obviously reminded you of something you experienced during that time – an image, a thought, a dream, anything."

"But I was feeling so wonderful just a moment before that! I was relaxed, calm and everyone was there, happy, laughing… then, all of a sudden, it struck me like lightning!"

He nodded. "These things do not usually happen in the midst of stressful situations. They happen when you simmer down and lower your guard. It is hard to say whether this was a one-time episode, but once you have completely come to terms with these past weeks and realize that you no longer have anything to fear, they will disappear for good. I give you my word."

Caroline eyed him warily. "You seem to know an awful lot about these things."

With a light shrug, he replied, "I'm a thousand years old. I know an awful lot about everything. Would you like to go back down? They will all leave in the morning. I have talked to Elijah, and he and Silv will be going to Buenos Aires where we will meet them, in time."

She shook her head. "If it's all the same to you, I would like to stay up here. And just fall asleep in your arms. I'll see them off in the morning."

Silently, Klaus took her hand and led her to the bathroom. With infinite tenderness, he undressed her and wrapped her in a thick champagne coloured bathrobe. Pulling his shirt over his head, he swiftly removed his shoes and took her hand again, gently kissing her fingers before leading her to the bed. Caroline pulled back the covers and slid beneath them, her eyes never leaving Klaus' face. He followed and stretched out next to her with a contented sigh. She nestled on his chest, closing her eyes at feeling his arms encircle her, and entangled her legs with his. His hands were softly stroking her back and from time to time, his arms tightened around her as if he wanted to make sure she was truly here. It all felt so familiar, so homey, and yet so new.

"Say my name," he suddenly whispered and Caroline all but melted at the longing in his voice.

"Niklaus," she breathed, her voice dripping with emotion and intensity, "my God, how I love you. You have no idea."

She heard him give a ragged breath. "I have something to ask of you, my darling."

"Anything." She lifted her head and was just about to jokingly add how 'anything' did not include glacier jumping when she caught a good look at his eyes. Her heart all but broke at the expression in them. It was just how he had looked when he had first shown her his drawing of Henrik, after Prelati had made her see the youngest Mikaelson being tortured in her visions. Taking her face in his hands, he pulled her up to him, and she felt his grip tighten.

"Unless it is your intent to kill me, Caroline, do not leave me again."

She exhaled sharply, at a complete loss for words. Instead, she moved to cover his lips with hers, her dead heart skipping a non-existent beat at the incomparable feel of his velvety mouth on hers. Very gently, she showered him with tender, chaste kisses until she felt his lips part slightly. She let her tongue taste his lower lip and heard him give a soft, blissful sigh. A second later, the tip of his tongue cautiously met hers, and in the very same instant, they both opened their eyes to stare at each other, wide-eyed and in nameless wonder at the delicious, long-missed sensation. Moving closer, Caroline deepened the kiss, her tongue languidly rediscovering every inch of his mouth, her brain beginning to malfunction at the sweetness of his taste. His response was as eager as it was gentle while the tips of his fingers never stopped caressing her face.

After what seemed much too short an eternity, she very gradually pulled back, settling on his chest anew. Her breathing was labored, as was his, and she felt a small pang of guilt – she couldn't take it any further, not yet. The grueling separation still had her in its clutches, and she knew she would need a few more days for her insides to settle and be calm enough to give herself to him again wholeheartedly. Yet, it was not that she didn't _want_ to. In fact, she yearned for his touch, for his hands and his tongue on her, for the incomparable sensation of his naked body against hers. But their lovemaking had always been such a vital part of their relationship that she didn't want to take any risk of tainting it with the inner turmoil that hadn't completely subsided.

"Niklaus," she whispered, "I am so sorry, but… I need a little more time. Not long. But I'm not quite myself again, and…"

"Sweetheart," he interrupted her gently, tilting her chin so she could see his breathtaking dimpled smile, "I had no intention whatsoever of making love to you tonight."

For a moment, Caroline was stunned. Then she beamed widely in sheer amazement at how he always read her so well. This was one of the things she had missed the most during their separation – the way he was focused on her, always intent on knowing what was on her mind and in her heart. And _always _acting on it. After a moment, she shook her head at herself. All the damn drama!

_Okay, seriously. Enough of the heavy stuff for now. We both need some laughs._

"Why not?" she demanded in mock outrage, not able to help the giggle that always escaped her when she was teasing him.

"Nah," he countered, playing along instantly, giving a yawn and disinterestedly examining his fingernails, "you're not really my type. I'm more into redheads. Ah," he sighed, "Bangkok…"

Caroline gave a little shriek. The redhead in Bangkok had been some sort of recurring joke between them ever since Kol had mentioned Klaus' encounter with the woman ages ago. She had seemed to have had some rather adventurous preferences, although Klaus had never revealed any details. "If I hear you mention that redhead in Bangkok only once more, I will… I will…"

"Yes, please?"

Her face lit up. "I will compel Caligula into being nothing but a docile, submissive, obliging little pony from now on!"

Klaus inhaled and playfully pushed her away. "You would not dare, you devious little vixen!"

"Ha! Watch me! He will be quite the sensation for the kids at the next pony fair!"

Her whole soul tingled at finally hearing his beautiful, rich laughter again. "Well, that would certainly accommodate Salvatore the Elder."

"Hey," an indignant voice came from the hallway where they now also discerned footsteps, "I heard that, Idi Amin!"

"Bollocks. We really need a new witch in the family," Klaus sighed exasperatedly.

"And I heard _that_," Silv's musical voice sounded from the room next door, drowning out Elijah's chuckle.

Caroline and Klaus looked at each other and burst into laughter. Which took on a certain note of hysteria as Rebekah's giggly voice chanted from the other room. "Good night, Mary Ellen! Good night, John-Boy!"

Klaus winked at Caroline and fired back, "I _did _bring a dagger, sister."

When the last of the banter had finally subsided after a long while, Klaus pulled her back into the safety of his arms and almost inaudibly whispered into her ear.

"You know I will wait. And I do not care for how long."


	19. To Jump or Not to Jump

**Paljon kiitoksia Suomi! :)**

**I would like to give a very special mention to Pem tonight for your comprehensive, extensive reviews - so amazing, and I am so awed by them! Thank you so very much! :)**

**And of course, more wholehearted thanks to Ana20, Justine, Tricia, Ellie66, Brittsmile19, Marie and the anons, as always! :)**

**I am so honored by everyone who is taking so much time to comment and to let me know you like the story. I know it sounds like a phrase, but I honestly mean this - you guys have no idea just how happy you make me! Thank you!**

**Please enjoy the new chapter, everyone!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

TO JUMP OR NOT TO JUMP

The next morning, right after everyone had departed, Klaus had called Kol to let him know they could be expected to return in about two more weeks. Apparently, Kol was doing well with the task Klaus had entrusted him to handle, judging by the way the older Mikaelson brother only snapped at his sibling twice during the entire conversation.

Rebekah, Elena and the Salvatores were headed straight back to Mystic Falls. After their arrival, they would start taking turns in visiting some of the Salvatores' witchy acquaintances in the neighbouring states to also try and find out more about what was going on on the Other Side, even if Klaus wasn't too optimistic about the outcome of those conversations. Elijah and Silv had travelled back to Buenos Aires which boasted a rather large supernatural community, although Elijah had just had to take one look at Silv's pleading eyes to smilingly agree to a quick side trip to the Iguaçu Falls. Klaus and Caroline would meet them at some ridiculously lavish hotel in Buenos Aires in about two weeks. Caroline was not quite able to hide her surprise at how Klaus willingly let his brothers take charge of all the research when he was usually so dead set on doing everything himself. He had just shrugged.

"They can handle it. I currently have other priorities, and I do not give a damn whether the world is coming to an end."

She still wasn't quite over her astonishment, but the insecure, neurotic teenage girl slash cheerleader inside her was doing flic-flacs at how he never compromised on putting her first. She had tried to tell him that it was fine if they returned right away. His reaction had been to pull her into the bathroom and point at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were still haunted, her face was white even for a vampire, and she looked sort of haggard.

"End of discussion," was the only thing he had said.

When the family had left, Klaus took her down to the quays where he engaged in a lengthy negotiation with Juanjo about hiring him and his schooner for a two-day tour around Cape Horn. They animatedly debated fees and routes which reminded Caroline of how Elijah had negotiated the price for Caligula with the old man they had bought him from. She knew Klaus was doing this for her, displaying his more human side and foregoing compulsion, but she couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be enjoying himself up to a point. After he had finally shaken hands with Juanjo, the Original pointed towards the city center.

"You need some decent waterproof gear before we leave. It will be a little conspicuous for you to take a sailing tour of the most dangerous waters in the world in naught but jeans and a shirt."

Caroline grinned. "I take it sailing is the one thing you can't do, considering you hired someone else to steer the schooner?"

He looked at her, almost offended. "It wounds my heart that you honestly believe there are things I cannot do." With a snicker, he went on. "I rounded this bloody Cape about ten times so far, out of which five times by myself. Please, my love. A little more confidence in my abilities."

Giggling, she pulled him into her arms and kissed him tenderly. "Forgive me, Captain Bligh!"

"As long as you don't turn into Fletcher Christian again," he grumbled, smiling.

* * *

Rounding Cape Horn on a sailboat was the single most exciting thing Caroline had ever experienced outside of Klaus' arms. Once they had left the calm waters of the Beagle Channel, the real fun had begun. The sea had suddenly grown heavy, tossing the schooner around like a toy boat. They were mercilessly exposed to winds and waves, and it made Caroline feel just as wild as the elements around her. A big grin was plastered to her face, and every time a large wave hit the ship, she all but squealed with delight. She didn't notice the cold at all, being beyond blissed out over seeing everything from the warmth and comfort of Klaus' embrace, listening to him, Jack and Juanjo taking turns explaining where famous ships had sunk during their quest to round the Cape and just how many rogue waves had been encountered in the area. Jack scoffed when Juanjo related a story about how he had once been hit by a hundred-foot wave a little further down in the Drake Passage on his way to Antarctica. The two men ended up fighting over whether this kind of wave existed at all, and Klaus took the opportunity to kiss Caroline thoroughly before he muttered, "Am with Juanjo on this one. They exist all right." _Wow,_ _I want to see that one day! A hundred-foot wave! _

When they returned after their two-day trip, Jack patted her hand and thanked them for letting him join. "Now you two should go on exploring by yourselves." He paused and smiled, although a little sadly. "But do come and say goodbye before you leave, Caroline."

They spent a blissful week seeing everything they could and Caroline adored every minute of it. It felt so human, and at the same time it didn't. She was sure that humans felt the special allure of the region, too, but not as strongly as she did. There were a few moments when she had to shake her head at herself. What had happened to Miss Mystic Falls? There was almost no sunshine, there was extremely little shopping, there were no beaches – well, not in the traditional sense of the word – and there were no umbrella cocktails. And still, she was having the time of her life. Mostly because of Klaus, but not exclusively. _It would seem you have grown up another little bit, don't you think? These past few weeks have shown you a lot. _She knew she would always love beaches, palm trees, shopping sprees and the like, but now her horizon had been expanded again, making space for another passion. Not replacing the old ones, but adding to them.

She had had two more very brief panic attacks during the first few days which scared the hell out of her both times, but Klaus' immediate reaction had been so calming and soothing that the episodes were over in minutes and had not come back since. She relaxed more and more, finally beginning to realize she had him back. For good.

On their eighth day, Klaus had a short relapse into Original Billionaire days and surprised her with a private plane trip to the Perito Moreno glacier up at the Lago Argentino, which was one of the major sights in all of Southern Patagonia. When they were comfortably seated in the plane, she eyed him suspiciously, making him laugh.

"No jumping off the glacier, promise."

All of a sudden, she turned to him fully and pursed her lips, a malicious sparkle entering her eyes. "Chicken?" she demanded with a wicked grin, crossing her arms over her chest.

His eyes narrowed, and a crooked smirk appeared on his face. "You are not seriously challenging me to jump off the Perito Moreno, are you, my love?"

"And what if I am?"

He raised a brow. "That would be the most idiotic thing I could ever do, by far."

Caroline's mischievous grin widened. "I very seriously doubt that, Big Bad."

Klaus put his fingertips together, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. She could see he was getting into the spirit of the banter. "What is in it for me if I do it?" he inquired, his brow still raised.

She considered for a moment. "Bottle of Krug?" she suggested, making him snort.

"Caroline, that bloody thing is about two hundred feet high and the water is, as you correctly pointed out, ice-cold. You will have to do better than that."

Racking her brains, she played with the seat belt. Then her face lit up. "I'll dye my hair red and shag you in some sordid back alley in Bangkok," she giggled.

He burst into laughter, making Caroline laugh as well. Leaning over to her, he gave her a quick kiss and whispered, "You are so beautiful the way you are, my love, I can't even begin to tell you." Then his voice rose to normal level as he dropped back into his seat and raised his glass. "But you're on."

Caroline gasped, and her eyes widened in shock, which sent him into another round of laughter. "You're kidding, right?" she demanded breathlessly.

He shook his head. "Nope. I jump, you become a redhead and then, one day…" his voice lowered to a whisper again, "you will let me slam you into the wall of some nameless Bangkok street, your skirt hiked up over your hips, your legs around my waist, your hands underneath my shirt. Then I will enter you, very slowly at first, until you can't bear it any longer and ask me to truly take you, right there against that wall, while your nails dig into my back out of sheer unbearable pleasure. And I will take you, my darling, just the way you want me to, until I hear you scream my name with that unspeakable passion of yours that will finally make me come inside you, so hard it will make me tremble all over. And you will be there to hold me, just as I will hold you while we slowly return to sanity."

She stared at him, her breathing accelerated, her hands almost crushing the armrests. "Niklaus," she whispered huskily, "you're playing dirty."

With a grin, he brought her face to his until they were only inches apart. "That water is _really_ cold, my love, so the stakes need to be high. Although considering the temperature, I probably wouldn't be _functional_ until we arrived in Bangkok, anyway."

"Not even for me?" she breathed, touching her cheek to his, hearing him inhale sharply.

"You know the answer to that, my incredibly lovely girl."

_Stop playing with him like that if you aren't going to see it through. It's not fair. You wouldn't like it, either. _

_But I'm not really playing with him! He does turn me on, so much! Damn, his mere presence makes me want to tear off his clothes and shag him into oblivion! _

_Then act on it. What are you afraid of? _

_What if something is different now? What if it's not the same, not the way it has been?_

_Then you will live with that. Stop being such a neurotic jerk. It'll be fine._

Klaus had noticed her silence and for once, he misinterpreted it. Gently wrapping some strands of her hair around his finger, he murmured, "Caroline, I hope you know I did not say any of this to rush you. That is not my intention at all."

She shook her head and leaned into his hand. "I was the one who started this, wasn't I? Sorry for teasing you like that… I didn't mean to play with you."

Now he smiled and kissed her rather roughly, once, twice, until her head was spinning. "Sweetheart, you can tease me, play with me, provoke me and turn me on all you like. I am a big boy, and I can handle it. And I believe you noticed that I actually enjoy it immensely. Should it get to be too much, there is always an easy remedy." He winked at her and wiggled his brows.

Her face flushed crimson at what she said next. "Someday, I… I would like to…" she stuttered, then she stopped. No, she couldn't say that, not even to him! But he was smiling again and brushed his knuckles across her cheek.

"Watch me pleasuring myself?" he asked quietly. Caroline flushed some more and wondered how she could have forgotten just how natural, easy and normal all things erotic were to him. She nodded. _You. Are. So. Shameless!_ Klaus took her hand and kissed it. "Anytime."

* * *

The glacier was absolutely overwhelming. It cracked and screeched continuously, and Caroline thought it sounded like the whole Earth was breaking apart. The different shades of white, grey and blue were fascinating, and the majestic mountain of ice transcended an almost spiritual beauty. They listened to a guide who was giving a lecture to a group of Canadian tourists, explaining that the Perito Moreno was one of only three glaciers in Patagonia that was still growing, although it was not quite clear why. The whole glacier was about nineteen miles long, and the ice was up to five hundred and sixty feet thick.

After they had walked the area for a couple of hours, seeing the glacier from as many different perspectives as they could, Klaus suddenly took off his watch and handed her his phone, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Time for a little dip, don't you think, my love?" When he was about to flash off, panic gripped her again right out of the blue, and she frantically grabbed his arm.

"Niklaus, you are _not_ jumping off that thing! Are you nuts?" she exclaimed, horrified. "I was kidding!"

With a grin, he retorted, "What if I wasn't?"

"Then you're an even bigger imbecile than Damon seems to think!"

That made him snicker. "All the more reason. Hey, nothing can happen to me, you know that."

"And you accuse Kol of not having outgrown his adolescence?" she almost shouted, making his grin broaden. "He is a wise old patriarch, compared to you!"

"He will be happy to hear that." Taking a closer look at her appalled face, he pulled her into his arms. "Caroline, I am joking. Although I have to admit that for some obscure reason I find the idea tempting, and who knows, maybe one day. But I would need to compel the hordes of tourists with their camera phones, or else I will end up giving the Gangnam Style video some competition for number of clicks."

She took a deep breath. "I overreacted a little, didn't I?"

"A gentleman will always leave that question unanswered," he chuckled, a teasing sparkle in hie gaze. "Shall we head back, then?"

* * *

Two days later, they had just returned from another plane trip, this time to Torres del Paine National Park, when Caroline stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a robe, her hair still damp. Klaus was looking at his phone with a frown, then his eyes darted to her.

"I am truly sorry, my love, but I am afraid we will have to leave tomorrow. I am somewhat uneasy and I am not certain for how much longer Kol will be able to handle things by himself."

She sat down on the bed, towel in hand, and closed her eyes for an instant. "What is it that makes you so nervous?" she asked cautiously, opening her eyes to see him approach and sit down on the bed next to her.

"Caroline, I am well aware that this is probably very much to ask of you, but will you allow me to talk to Elijah before I explain everything to you? It is about something I have kept from him for a long time, and he needs to know now. I will tell you everything about it right after I have spoken to him, if that is acceptable to you."

It was not that she liked it, but she understood him. "Of course."

Looking relieved, he gave her a heartwarming smile. "Thank you. Now, as this is our last evening in Ushuaia for the time being, what would you like to do?"

Her answer came without hesitation. "Have dinner with you and Jack. I have to tell him goodbye, Niklaus. And… let him know I'll be back to visit someday."

They dined in a lovely seafood restaurant next to the port. Caroline's heart was heavy when she had to finally say goodbye to the old man, and she had the distinct feeling he was inconspicuously wiping away a tear. When she was on her way back to the car, she heard Klaus mutter, "Jack, I will forever be in your debt for looking after her. If there is anything you need, anything at all, do tell me what it is."

"Just take good care of her, but I can see you are doing that already. Oh, and be better informed about the boundaries of the Chilean border next time."

"Forget it. You know I am right." She turned around to see him smile. "Thank you, Jack."

She would forever remember this time in Patagonia as Klaus' most human days.

* * *

When they returned to their room, Caroline looked at her man for a very long time as he stood gazing out of the window. She knew his thoughts were on what was to come and how he would keep her and everyone else out of harm's way. A sudden rush of warmth blazed through her, thinking about how safe she always felt in his arms. Protected, loved, adored… _desired._ And then everything suddenly became crystal clear. They would return complete and in order to do so, she had to jump. Moreover, she _wanted _to jump, and she knew he would always catch her. _Yes. _When they faced their enemies, they would do so as everything they had been and more.

Stepping up behind him, she let her fingers carefully trace his back over the cashmere sweater. Seeing his lips curve into a smile, she ran one hand down to the hem of the pullover. Holding her breath, she began to tenderly caress his bare back, closing her eyes at hearing him exhale sharply at her touch. Slowly, she pushed the fabric upwards, taking her time to explore every inch of his skin, running her fingers along his spine and sighing longingly at the incredibly lovely sensation. The moment she sensed a shiver rock his body, the moist heat pooled between her legs with such force that she had to press her lips together to keep herself from groaning loudly. In one swift movement, she rid him of his sweater and pressed a heated, open-mouthed kiss to the nape of his neck while her hands came around his rock-hard body to possessively rest on his chest and stomach, pulling him against her. His head fell back and his hands covered hers, almost crushing her fingers when her tongue began to leave wet traces all over his neck and his shoulder blade. His deep, sensual moan made all her limbs go weak.

God, how she had missed the taste of his skin! How had she been able to even exist without his little sounds of passion, the feeling of his twitching muscles under her fingers, his incredibly erotic scent and the incomparable sensation of his soft skin against hers? _How_?

When her hands reached the hem of his pants and began to undo his belt, he whispered, "Caroline, my love, we do not have to do this just because we are leaving. I told you I would wait. Forever if I have to."

Letting go of his belt, she gently nudged him until he turned around to face her. Looking up at him, she murmured hoarsely, "Tell me, Niklaus… do you want me?"

"Desperately."

The butterflies were raging like the sea at the helplessness in his voice. This was what she had missed the most about making love to him – his deep, burning, boundless lust and the way he fearlessly put himself into her hands. Her fingers slipped back to his belt and undid it in the blink of an eye, ridding him of his pants a mere second later. _Has he actually become even more beautiful? _ Strong, lean, flawless and so ready… one hundred percent her Klaus. Her fears had been so unnecessary! The pull between them, the overwhelming hunger for each other was as acute as it had always been, if not more so. What a fool she had been, again! _Never, ever will I let another day pass without ravishing this freakingly perfect man!_

All of a sudden, her shirt and bra were gone, and she found him devouring her with his eyes. Biting his lips, he took in every inch of her exposed skin, and Caroline could almost physically feel the way his eyes touched her breasts. There was something new in his gaze, something so intense that she had to strangle down a sob. Her vision clouded. The feeling of being desired like this… it was simply beyond compare. Unexpectedly, he took a step towards her and dropped to his knees. His arms came around her, and he pulled her so close it felt like he was about to break some of her ribs while he buried his face in her belly. Caroline was sure she wouldn't be able to stand the onslaught of emotions that all but knocked her off her feet. Her hands found themselves in his hair, holding him as close as she possibly could.

"Oh sweet heavens, Caroline, I have _missed_ you!"

Fighting back another sob at the crack in his voice, she pulled him up to her and crushed her lips to his. Had they only ever kissed gently, tenderly since they had found each other again, they were now scorching one another with their wild assault. Tongues battling for dominance, lips devouring lips, moans that went right to their cores. Klaus' hand grasped her chin, pulling down her lower lip before crashing his mouth to hers with a growl that made her dizzy. His tongue was ravaging hers, but he had found his match in Caroline. She met his onslaught with such force that he almost staggered back for a second. His hands were on her butt, and he yanked her to him in one brutal pull, making them both gasp when her soft breasts were crushed against his iron chest. His fingers were on the side of her breast at the very same instant, sneaking between their bodies and kneading the silken flesh so passionately it made her break their feverish kiss with a moan and bend her body backwards to give him better access. He held her securely before his tongue flicked over her hardening nipple… then over the other one… and back. _More… give me more of you, Niklaus! _

They tumbled onto the bed, and Caroline gasped at the tearing sound when he mercilessly ripped off her jeans and panties. Violently craving his touch now, she almost cried out when she felt him retreat, leaving her without his hands… his fingers… his skin… his tongue. Panting, she stared up at him as he got off the bed and stood to gaze at her naked body. Licking his lips. Licking his _damn_ lips.

"Niklaus, I swear, if you don't touch me _right now_, I will shove you off the Perito Moreno myself!"

He didn't say a word. He just let his eyes wander over every inch of her body, marveling at her like he was seeing her for the very first time, until she nearly screamed in frustration. At long last, he moved to kneel on the bed, his hands gliding up her thighs, pushing them further apart the closer he came to her sex. Caroline grabbed the sheets. Every fiber of her body felt like a raw nerve just waiting for him to set her on fire, just waiting to finally come for him again. She wanted it fast, fast and intense this first time. _The sweet and gentle will have to wait! _She almost fell apart when his hand hovered over her core, not quite touching, but so close she could feel the heat it exuded.

"The way you want me, Caroline, is driving me right out of my mind. And by the Gods, you will have all of me. I will give you _everything._ Just as you will hold nothing back from me."

His fingers slipped inside her the very same moment his mouth closed over her clit. She could do nothing but cry out and buck off the bed as she felt his masterful tongue swishing along the length of her folds, then swirling over her clit, all the while his fingers never stopped working their magic inside her. Without a warning, she climaxed brutally, her back arching from the bed, her core desperately searching for more of his touch when he groaned at the vehemence of her orgasm which even he hadn't expected so soon. They were both starved for each other, so long deprived of what had always been a necessity for them like blood, food and drink, and it made them flare up like a brushfire now. Her high gradually subsiding, Caroline started to catch her breath… but he did not let her. His tongue and hands held her captive, his licks becoming rougher, his fingers playing her depths like a violin. _I can't! That's too much! But Goood, it is…_

"Niklaus, no, please… I can't… yes, ohh… yes, _yes! _"

Her second climax shuddered through her whole body, making her spread her legs even wider and sending him into a series of frenzied moans. This time, she couldn't help the single sob that escaped her at the intensity of her release. He continued to devour her, very softly now, making her shiver and whimper with sheer hypersensitivity. She knew she couldn't take any more of his genius tongue, but she could also not stand the loss of the sensation when he finally released her core and slid all the way up her body, his lips never leaving her skin.

"After your magnificent displays of ecstasy, my love, I'm afraid I will not be able to last quite as long as I would wish to," he whispered at her ear, tenderly caressing her breasts. Her breath caught at his soft, loving touch, so very different from the demanding, rough way he had treated her earlier. Caroline wasn't even able to decide what she loved more.

Running her tongue along his throat and biting his neck with her human teeth, making him moan with delight, she breathed, "You bet that sexy Original ass of yours that I won't let you get away with making love to me just once tonight."

He chuckled. "And you bet _your_ delicious backside that I will take you, shag you, love you, fuck you, worship you and wear you out until you can no longer form a coherent sentence. But for now," his eyes began to burn, "I will just make love to you with everything that I am!"

Before she could even react, she felt him fill her in one fierce thrust.

They both cried out when they were finally one again. For an instant neither of them moved, both closing their eyes to savour this moment, this instant of deep harmony and relief at having found each other after what had seemed a lifetime apart. His eyes still closed, Klaus bent down to press a tender kiss to her temple, lingering for a long while before he rose to his knees, pulling her hips with him and letting his cock almost leave her completely before thrusting into her anew. Their eyes drowned in each other when he began to find his rhythm, strong, steady and hard. Caroline lifted herself onto her elbows and let her head fall back, her hips meeting his thrusts with almost equal force. She felt his arm come around her back, pulling her up a little further, and his other hand cupped her breast while his mouth closed around her nipple, his tongue flicking over it, his teeth grazing her skin until she almost came again. When he bit her nipple with his blunt teeth, Caroline gave a deep groan and began to frantically move against him.

"Turn," she panted. "I want to see you turn. Show me your face. I want you to take me like you did the first night!"

Without a word, he did as she asked. His eyes turned yellow, his blackened veins protruded and his fangs descended. At the same time, he began to thrust into her harder and harder, his moans becoming dark and deep – and Caroline adored it beyond words. He gave himself over to his instincts, his moves and sounds raw and animalistic. Klaus was taking her like the Alpha he was and would always be. But it wasn't enough. She wanted to see her Alpha at her mercy just as she had earlier been at his.

"Let go, Niklaus. Lose yourself. For me."

His whole body went rigid at her passionate plea, and he pounded into her like a lunatic, making her gasp his name with every thrust until he finally couldn't stand it any longer. His golden eyes were almost sparkling as he came so hard it made him pull her up and wrap her body around his, not able to bear his agonizing orgasm alone. She could see he was fighting against the loss of control, but at the same time, he was fighting _for _it. The sounds that came from somewhere deep inside him were primal and full of need, making Caroline feel like his master, his slave, his savior, his poison… his _everything._

When his frantic panting slowed down after his wonderfully endless orgasm allowed for some coherency again, he pulled her even closer and buried his face in her neck. His breathing was still ragged when he managed to speak again.

"My angel… I just… love the way you shag the hell out of me… almost as much as I love you."

She smiled and kissed him very tenderly, snuggling into his arms as he lowered them both onto the mattress.

"And how could I do anything but worship the freaking God of Sex?" she giggled, feeling him ruffle her hair.

"Caroline?" he muttered after a short while of comfortable silence, and she could hear a hint of humour in his voice.

"Yes?"

"Ready when you are."

With a delighted chuckle, she took his hand and guided it towards her sex. "Without wanting this to sound perverse, but – I was _born_ ready for you."

"And that is one of the minor things I worship about you, my darling."


	20. A Debt and a Secret

**中国 和 香港 ****非常感谢 ! :)**

**Tricia and Justine, thank you so much again! :)**

**Today's chapter will be rather long, as there are a few things that need to be discussed, and you know how it is with my stories... slow build! But I promise there will be plenty of action awaiting you guys! :)**

**Happy 4th of July to all the lovely readers from the US, I hope you will have a great day tomorrow! **

**Please enjoy, and thank you everyone! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER NINETEEN

A DEBT AND A SECRET

During the flight to Buenos Aires, Caroline's thoughts kept wandering to the previous night and she couldn't help her incredulous eyes and the dreamy smile that graced her features every time she lingered on the memories. Klaus had been everything – devilish, dirty, gentlemanly, caring, playful, ferocious, tender, bohemian, loving. Always so loving. Ever since their first time, sex with him had been overwhelming and spectacular, in whatever shape or form. But last night he had brought her to her knees. His eyes, his voice, his touch… everything about him had been aflame with his feelings for her in a way she had never seen before. After that rather rushed first round, he had taken his time, ravishing her in a dozen different ways, and he had never stopped touching her until the sun rose. To the first rays of the rare golden light, he had finally loved her so slowly and deeply it had brought her to tears. The moment she had climaxed, gradually and sweetly, he had taken her hand and placed it on his heart, his eyes soft and shining with adoration. She had never felt their bond so strongly, and she hadn't been the only one.

Their Signum had turned silver this morning.

With a blissful sigh, she gazed at her husband who was dozing on the seat next to her, holding her hand and softly running his thumb over it. After a while, the corner of his mouth lifted. He didn't open his eyes as he murmured, "Fangirling, my love?"

"Oh, stuff it," she grinned, blushing a little and making him chuckle delightedly.

Trying to think of something other than their heavenly night for a change, she let her mind replay the past couple of weeks. She would forever cherish the memories of having Klaus all to herself, seeing him so relaxed, happy and at ease with everyone. She knew it was partly due to the overwhelming feeling of deliverance at having found her again, but it was as much a part of his personality as everything else. He just hid that side better, although he had always let the gentler facets of his character predominate when he was with her. And as excruciatingly relieved as she was at no longer being exiled, she dreaded the return to reality, to all of their problems, all of their enemies. One of them being Bonnie.

Caroline could no longer close her eyes to that fact. Whatever happened and however much she would always miss her childhood friend, she would never be able to fully forgive her for the role she had played in luring Caroline away from Klaus, her family and friends. So Bonnie had fallen for the bad guy? Dibs, that was no excuse. Caroline had fallen for the worst of them all. But how could the witch have helped people like Prelati and Mikael, and how could she smilingly send her former best friend to misery, not to mention threatening the entire worldwide vampire population, which incidentally included Marcel, even if she was able to resuscitate him long-term? Could that be love, or was it more of subjugation? Caroline did not doubt that Bonnie had feelings for Marcel, but she couldn't bring herself to believe that those were reciprocated, at least not to the same extent. There had been something fawning in the way Bonnie had behaved around the vampire, something so atypical for the proud, independent witch she had been for such a long time.

And what of the object Marcel had spoken of? The object he wanted from Klaus and for which he was apparently ready to extinguish generations of vampires? Caroline was sure that this was what Klaus wanted to talk to Elijah about. Whatever it was, she couldn't imagine how he could have kept something so obviously important from his older brother. What could it be? Maybe a weapon of sorts? Well, she would need to be patient until Klaus had spoken to his sibling. Oh, how she loved to be patient. _Sigh._

When they arrived in Buenos Aires, a liveried chauffeur was waiting for them. _Travel in style… courtesy of Elijah Mikaelson. _The quiet man led them to a large black Maybach limousine with tinted windows that swallowed all outside noises. The moment they had sunk into the cushions, he drove off into the heavy traffic and as was always the case with any new place she visited, Caroline greedily drank in everything she saw. There was something very European about the atmosphere, but also a certain air of something else. She gaped at majestic buildings, busy streets and parks, elegant shops and lesser neighbourhoods. Feeling Klaus' hand gently stroking her shoulder, she asked, "Can we come back here when everything is over?"

"It's a date," he smiled. "You have to learn to properly dance a Tango, after all."

She lifted her chin and with a broad smirk, she repeated something she had said to him ages ago, when they had first shared a dance. "I've had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls."

He gave a quick laugh. "I know." Kissing her hand, he leaned over to her. "Trust me, my darling, if they had taught you a real Tango at the Miss Mystic training, you would see me shocked."

Caroline snorted. "You wouldn't even be shocked if they had taught us to belly-dance stark naked!"

"Touché. But you may rest assured that I would not have missed a single training session."

When they pulled up to the Four Seasons Hotel, Caroline had to concentrate on not gaping at the building like a total hayseed. The place looked like a palace. It wasn't overly big but so regal she felt positively intimidated. It got worse when they entered the lobby – all marbly elegance, wordliness and sophistication. She grabbed Klaus' arm.

"I'm not dressed for this!" she whispered, panic in her eyes when she looked down at herself. Jeans, shirt, rain jacket. But this was the freaking Buckingham Palace! "You should have told me!"

"Men," a melodious female voice came from a table at the lobby bar, "they will never learn what a woman's priorities are."

"Silv!" Caroline shrieked and danced over to pull her sister-in-law into a hug. The older woman looked the picture of elegance and style in wide, high-waisted grey marlene pants and a black silk blouse. "You look… wow!"

The brunette grinned. "And that's exactly how you will look when we are done shopping, visited the spa and had a couple of glasses of champagne. Not that you don't look beyond radiant the way you are."

Caroline's eyes lit up. "Shopping? Really? Oh, I just love you!" She turned towards Elijah and embraced him tightly. "You don't look half-bad! Let me guess – tailored?"

"Is there another kind of suit to be worn by men of style and taste?" he snickered and hugged her back. "You seem very well indeed, sister. I hope that brother of mine has taken good care of you?"

She turned around to look at Klaus whose eyes had narrowed for some reason. "He is perfect. Simply perfect." His expression softened and he gave her a tender smile.

"Well," Elijah commented dryly, "I take it he either drugged or compelled you to say something as absurd as that. It is good to see you, brother. You look rather well, too."

Klaus stepped up to briefly put his hand on his older sibling's shoulder and kiss Silv on the cheek.

"Silv," he began, "about the shopping…"

"Niklaus," Elijah interrupted, "they will be fine. They have the limousine and they won't be very far."

Now Caroline understood his tense face. He was reluctant to have her go off on her own. It was not that she couldn't relate, she feared every minute she had to be without him, but they both had to learn to have some faith again, otherwise their lives would become very difficult at some point. She took a step towards him and gave him a long, lingering kiss on the cheek, whispering, "It'll be okay. I'll be back soon, and you will have some time with Elijah. And… I know it's silly but… just let me beauty up for you a little bit. I haven't done that in much too long."

"Caroline," he murmured, "do you seriously believe you could ever be more beautiful to me than right now, in this very moment?"

"Oh yes, big time," Silv snickered. "Come on, give the girl some space. And your credit card."

Very reluctantly, Klaus let go of her. He pulled out his wallet, handing her a Centurion Card and a Stratus White Visa. Pulling her close again, he kissed her softly and whispered, "Don't be too long, my love."

Caroline held him tight for a moment and brushed her knuckles over his cheek. 'Can't wait,' she mouthed, seeing his lips twitch. Then Silv resolutely took her arm, letting go of Elijah's hand she had been holding, and dragged her back outside to the waiting Maybach.

* * *

"How are you, Care?" Silv asked gently when they were seated inside the limousine, soundlessly driving toward whatever boutiques her sister-in-law had in mind. "We didn't really have a chance to talk back in Ushuaia, so tell me."

Caroline squeezed her hand, giving her a light smile. "I am really good. Now. It was… I can't even describe the time I was gone, although I think you know how it feels, given what happened with you and Elijah. But I wasn't as strong as you, Silv. I just totally let myself float, I didn't make any efforts at continuing to live, and it scares me because I always thought something like that could never happen to me. I believed I was better than that. But when I lost Klaus, when I was sure it would never see him again, everything inside me died. I was… so incredibly weak, Silv," she mumbled, ashamed of herself like the day Klaus had found her. And every day since then.

Silv looked at her thoughtfully, then she leaned towards the driver. "Martín, hágame el favor de parar en Rodríguez Peña, en la vinoteca."

"Sí, Señora Mikaelson."

Caroline looked at her in astonishment. "How come you have no accent whatsoever?"

"I lived in Spain for quite a while, on the Canary Islands to be exact. I just told him to stop at a little store I know. Ah, here we are. Stay put, I'll be back in a second."

When Silv returned not two minutes later, she was carrying a bottle of chilled Dom Pérignon Rosé. "Desperate times call for desperate measures." She pulled two silver cups from a little compartment in the middle console, opened the bottle and poured them each a cup, handing one to Caroline and raising her own glass.

"Now," she went on, "what makes you think I handled myself well after I left Elijah? Let me tell you a little secret. When I arrived back in London, I did not leave the house for two weeks. I looked like a hag, I almost didn't eat or drink, and I didn't speak to a single person. I wallowed in misery. There were days I didn't even make it out of the bed, let alone find the energy to do anything at all." Caroline stared at her in astonishment. Silv, who was always so cheerful, so collected, so controlled? The brunette winked at her. "I was a complete and utter mess and I had no desire whatsoever to change that state. And then I did the worst thing I could have done. You know what that was." She took another sip of her champagne.

"Klaus," Caroline said.

Silv nodded. "Klaus. I had sex with the love of my life's brother." Caroline winced. "So now tell me, Caroline, in your view – is that an indication of strength?"

Swallowing, she looked down at her champagne cup. It sounded reasonable, but… she had felt so pathetic, so weak, so powerless…

"Look, when we lose something as vital and all-consuming as a love like that, there is no strength left. It is an illusion. You can slowly arrive at the point of regaining part of yourself eventually, but do not ever believe for a moment that losing that man, that one man you know has an iron hold over you forever, will let you go on functioning the way you always have."

Caroline bit her lip and took a sip of champagne. "So you don't think I was totally pathetic, giving up on everything like that?"

"Far from it – and look at your time in Patagonia more closely. You found yourself a house and someone to relate to, you developed an interest in your surroundings. You were fighting for yourself after all, even though it might not have seemed like that to you at the time."

"Silv, I wouldn't have made it without Jack. He brought me back to sanity, at least a little bit. I was not strong enough to do that on my own."

Her sister-in-law shook her head vehemently. "Care, it is a widespread misconception that you have to be able to master everything on your own. It doesn't work like that. I may not have lived as long as our dysfunctional husbands, but I have been around for a while and I have seen a lot. Therefore I can say one thing for absolutely certain – you can _exist_ in isolation. But you can't _live_ in isolation. Now, do you want to tell me some more about your… absence? We will drive around a little for the time being."

Caroline nodded and began to speak. At first, her story was gloomy and sad, but when she arrived at her two weeks with Klaus, their trip to Cape Horn and everything they had seen, she felt herself breathing freely again. Silv listened very attentively and silently refilled their cups from time to time.

"You look very happy," she finally stated when Caroline finished her story, beaming at her. "I am actually surprised you didn't spend the entire two weeks in the hotel room, to be perfectly honest."

Shaking her head, Caroline blushed a little. "It… it happened only last night," she confessed. "I felt I wasn't back to being myself again before that, and I didn't want to mess things up. God, Klaus was so patient. He would have waited for months, I think."

"He would have waited for years or decades," Silv replied earnestly. "Care, I'm not sure if you are aware of just how much that man truly adores you. You took away his loneliness, and you did not only give him the love he has been craving for centuries, but also something else. Loyalty. And, even more important, a home for his restless soul. There is one thing you need to be perfectly clear about, though. After he has lost you once, he will never lose you again. That means he will be controlling and just a little bit despotic. You will have to decide for yourself how far you will let him carry it." Taking another sip, Silv eyed her, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Enough of the gloomy stuff. I take it he completely blew your mind last night?"

Caroline giggled, relieved to move on to lighter topics. "How do you know?"

"I didn't," the brunette snickered, making Caroline snort and shake her head in mock anger at being tricked like that. With a gentle smile, Silv confessed, "The first time after Elijah and I got back together… I can't even describe that."

Faintly blushing again, Caroline whispered, "He made me cry."

"He did _what?"_ Silv exclaimed, genuine outrage in her voice. "Oh, I will…"

"No, no," Caroline interrupted quickly, "not like that. It was just…" she looked over at Silv, searching for words. Her sister-in-law's features softened.

"Oh, _that_ sort of tears." She smiled. "Well then, today's mission is clear. You will look so devastatingly beautiful tonight that he will a) be rendered speechless and b) maybe even shed a little tear himself."

Caroline smiled, her heart filling up with excitement at the thought. "Okay. Let's get down to business."

* * *

Klaus and Elijah had chosen a table at the far end of the outdoors terrace, away from prying eyes and ears, where they were sharing a bottle of wine. The alcohol did not do anything to relieve Klaus' lingering tension at knowing his Caroline was not within reach. He would need to very seriously get a hold on himself, for he had a faint suspicion she would not take kindly to being confined to a gilded cage just because he wasn't able to control his anxiety.

"Niklaus, do simmer down. Caroline will be perfectly fine, and I am quite certain that after her time at the end of the world, she does appreciate some shopping and female conversation. You do look happy, though. I take it you had an enjoyable time, despite everything?"

Klaus nodded, taking his glass and trying to relax. "It was nothing short of perfection, brother."

Elijah motioned towards his younger sibling's neck where the now silver Signum was almost sparkling in the sunlight. "I gather. What do you reckon it means?"

Slowly raising a hand to his mark, Klaus gazed at his brother. "I will need to find out. It is with relative certainty that we can assume it is something of a positive nature, but beyond that, I cannot fathom what the exact explanation is. It was red in the beginning, like those other Signums I saw over the years. Then it turned a brighter red, then purple, a brighter purple, and now silver. There must be a meaning behind it."

"I agree," Elijah nodded. "Apologies for the rather personal question, but does it only ever change colour after you have been intimate with Caroline?"

"Yes. With the one exception of the purple colour fading out when she did not feed. But that was not a change of colour after all. Be that as it may, it altered again this morning. We had not made love before last night, and it was extraordinarily intense. I have no doubt that our bond deepened again, but there must be something in addition to that. How have we never heard of this, Elijah? It cannot be the first time in history that this happens."

The older Original raised his hands. "Who knows? Maybe it is."

Suddenly, Klaus' eyes widened. "Of course! This must have something to do with me being an Original. Or it is the Hybrid. Therefore it probably _is_ the first time it has ever happened. None of our family bears the mark, and none of the Hybrids do. It is very probable that it works differently in either of those cases."

Elijah assented, taking a sip of his wine. "I have been toying with the thought of exchanging the Signum with Silv for quite a while now, so if she will do me the honour, which I sincerely hope, we might receive some more clarity."

Klaus felt something tugging at his heart. Ever since he had learned that his brother knew about him and Silv, they hadn't touched on the topic again. But they needed to now. He feared it might otherwise become somewhat of an obstacle between them, and Klaus could simply not bear the thought of losing his brother, even if only to an extent. His grace period was over, and he had to face his loose ends now.

"You might want to wait until we find out more." His throat constricted as the struggled for the right thing to say. "Elijah. Back then, when you had turned it off… it was the first time in my entire life that I was at a complete loss at how to deal with one of my siblings. Especially with the one brother who had always been the voice of reason, and the one who had preserved most of his humanity. I saw that as a hindrance most of the time, granted, but I had never understood how much it grounded me until you lost that. Until _I_ lost the one source of rationality in my life."

Klaus gazed at his brother cautiously, gauging his reaction. Elijah was watching him attentively, listening, but other than that, he did not betray any emotions.

"When I went to seek out Silv, I wanted her to return to you and make you turn your humanity back on. She was heartbroken and completely desolate. At the very first moment, I did not even recognize her." He saw a flicker of pain flash across Elijah's face. "So we went out for a few drinks. We did not speak much. I walked her home, hoping for an opportunity to talk her into changing her mind about coming back. She just shook her head. She didn't say a word on the whole way back to her flat. Then we stood in front of her door, silently, until she turned to look at me and said tonelessly, 'Shall we forget for a while?' I didn't even think twice."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took his wine and brought the glass to his lips. Elijah was still silent, but his eyes were no longer calm.

"Brother, you know there are not very many things in my life that I regret, and even less things that I feel guilty for." He paused and raised his face, looking his older sibling in the eyes. "I am sorry. I am deeply and utterly sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you, Elijah. Maybe one day, I can earn your forgiveness."

There was a very long silence. Klaus stared at his brother. Had his heart still been beating, it would have gone wild with fear. Everyone knew he cared deeply about his family, but there were only two people who understood just how much he truly loved them. One of them was Caroline. The other one was Elijah.

Setting down his wine glass, his brother finally leaned forward with a deep sigh. "Sleeping with Silv was the single most painful thing you ever did to me. Tatia, Katerina… nothing could ever compare. The moment I turned my humanity back on, the only thing I saw was the look on your face after you had returned from England. I despised you, Niklaus. For a short while, I honestly despised you."

Klaus grabbed the armrests of his chair to brace against the pain burning through him. "Elijah…" His brother raised a hand and he fell silent again.

"It took me years to understand what you just told me, to understand that what happened was born out of despair, heartbreak and helplessness. They were years of feeling betrayal at the mere thought of you. And Silv. We must not forget there were two people involved, and Silv slept with you as you slept with her. After a few years, however, I realized something. Do you recall our conversation in Mystic Falls, shortly after the warlock's first appearance?"

"Yes," Klaus murmured.

"And do you recall what the last thing was that I said to you?"

Taking his glass, Klaus looked at his brother. Yes. Of course he remembered. But he just could not say it.

"I told you," Elijah said patiently, "that you are my brother and I will always love you. That is why I returned after those few years. That is why I have forgiven you long ago." He paused and leaned forward. "I mean it, Niklaus. I have forgiven you, and this will not stand between us in any way. But I will never forget it, either."

A long silence followed Elijah's words. Klaus could not believe his brother actually forgave him for a betrayal like that. For decades, he had lived with the fear that Elijah would eventually discover the truth. He knew Silv had never said a word to her husband ever since they had finally found each other again as she, too, had feared losing him forever over this. Although his betrayal had been the more hurtful one, as Klaus had known just how his older sibling felt about Silv. His brother should have been able to trust him, and he had repeatedly broken that trust, although never in such an unforgivable way. It had weighed on his conscience like lead, and it still did. How could Elijah not despise him for the rest of their existence?

"How can you forgive me so easily?" he whispered, running a hand through his hair.

His older brother shook his head. "It was anything but easy, you may rest assured. In fact, very few things during my thousand years have been this hard for me. But I have had a long time to heal and to consider. I wanted to hate you, brother, I truly did. And I came close, but never close enough, which taught me once and for all that no matter what, I could never entirely forsake you." He took another sip of his wine. "But let us put all of this behind us. It is forgiven, so we should look forward, not back."

"Elijah, I…" He could not say it. Instead, he silently looked at his brother, hoping he would understand. And he was certain his older sibling did.

After another few moments of companionable silence, Klaus refilled his glass and leaned back into his chair. "There is something else I need to speak to you about. Something I have also kept from you for very many years. I had never intended to reveal it at all, for what I am to tell you is the most fiercely guarded secret in our world. I am the only living keeper of said secret, but circumstances have led me to believe that for the first time ever, the Other Side is intending to divulge the information. They may have even done so already."

His eyes narrowing, Elijah brought his fingers together and looked at Klaus with a slight hint of annoyance. "I am not sure if I am keen on yet another display of your blatant disability to put some trust in me, Niklaus."

"I am trusting you now," Klaus grumbled, knowing his brother had a point. "I always have. This is massive, brother, and even though you may disagree with my not telling you about it earlier, I will not apologize for it. I did what I thought was best for all of us."

With a huff, the older Original just shook his head. "Will I need a stronger drink?" he asked, and Klaus could not help but notice what sounded like a hint of disappointment in Elijah's voice.

"You might." He gave a quick wave to the waiter. "Una botella de Hennessy Ellipse." The young waiter's eyes widened and he hurried towards the bar.

"It must be a devastating secret to justify a seven thousand dollar bottle of Cognac," Elijah commented, humour returning to his voice now. They waited until the head waiter had expertly served and poured the precious liquid – apparently he had not wanted to entrust his younger colleague with the task – then they took the snifters, letting the Cognac warm in their hands for several minutes before raising their glasses. At the first sip, both of them closed their eyes for an instant, quietly enjoying the exquisiteness of a drink so rare. Swirling the Hennessy, Klaus began to speak.

"Brother, you may remember how, back during the early founding days of New Orleans, I undertook a very sudden voyage to China."

Elijah nodded. "I was very surprised that you decided to leave everything behind and entrust the supervision of the city to the Governour. A human."

"It was of next to no significance compared to the reason for my journey. Contrary to what I told everyone, I did not actually visit China. I travelled to Italy, with the motive of hiding something so thoroughly no one would ever find it. And no one has, to this day. The object I am speaking of is a document. A manuscript called 'The Original Grimoire', revealing instructions to create Original vampires, witches and werewolves, plus some other creatures, describing all the ingredients necessary for the potions and the circumstances required to successfully administer them. But that is not all. It also speaks comprehensively of every possible method to kill supernatural creatures, including Original vampires. There is another way to end us, brother, besides White Oak."

For the first time in what seemed to have been centuries, Klaus saw his older brother speechless. Elijah just stared at him, his drink forgotten in his hand, his eyes wide with bewilderment. When he regained his composure, he hissed, "Do you not think this would have been worth sharing with your family, Niklaus?"

He shook his head. "Until this very instant, I was the only living person on this Earth to know about the existence and the contents of this document. There was no danger whatsoever for it to be divulged. Therefore I decided to keep it under wraps."

Between gritted teeth, Elijah snarled, "There are not very many times that I really cannot follow your train of thought, but this is one of them. What if someone on the Other Side, someone in the know, had revealed this information to, say, Mikael while he was still alive?"

"Until very recently, the Other Side had no motivation whatsoever to disclose the knowledge about the existence of this book to anyone. First of all, there was no need for it, as there was still one White Oak tree in existence, so there was a means of killing us if need arose. As for the creation of Original vampires – no witch on the Other Side, let alone a living one, could possibly have any interest in having even more indestructible Originals roam the planet. Neither can they be keen on the creation of more Original witches or warlocks, dominating their own kind with their superior powers."

Klaus fell silent and watched his brother carefully. Elijah's face was still stony, but there was something else as well. Deep worry. "Give me some more details, Niklaus."

"Putting the potions for the creation of Originals together is very complicated. Deviating only the slightest bit from the instruction will result in complete and utter failure, and the faulty concoction can easily cause great harm to whoever drinks it. Another prerequisite is that one does require a witch or warlock from one of the four ancient lines to brew a functional potion. It is highly complex, but it is doable for them. The circumstances of administration are just as intricate, and I will not go into detail for the moment, but what is crucial is that any vampire, witch or werewolf can be 'upgraded' into an Original – it is not exlclusive to humans. There is one decisive element to the process, though, which is why only very few Originals have ever been created throughout history. Whoever creates an Original vampire, witch, warlock or werewolf will, in exchange, lose the person he or she loves the very most in the world. If they do not have a loved one, they will lose their own life."

"Esther did not lose anyone," Elijah observed.

With a sarcastic smile, Klaus replied, "A perfect example. Esther did not _have _a loved one. She never truly loved any of us, so she lost her own life in the end. According to the document, losing a loved one does not imply that the person in question will be struck by lightning the instant the Original is created. They will lose their life in due course, hence increasing the cruelty of the punishment – you know it will happen eventually, but you do not know how and when. I killed Esther, thus condemning her to a half-life on the Other Side. It was meant to happen after she created us, only that I did the Other Side's dirty work in that particular case."

"Why has she never let Mikael know about the book? She would easily have had the means, even from the Other Side."

"She did not know of its existence, at least not back then. I cannot tell whether she knows about it now. Her formula to create us was simply an excerpt from the Original Grimoire, given to her with no circumambient information."

Elijah looked at him thoughtfully, sipping his drink and pondering all the new information. After a while, he nodded.

"Now, about the methods to kill us. You mentioned a second possibility, apart from White Oak. What is it, Niklaus?"

Silently, Klaus took another deep swig of his Cognac, finding the luxuriant sensation very comforting. Then he gazed at Elijah and raised a brow. "Blood."

"I beg your pardon?"

With a mirthless little smile, Klaus explained. "The ancient wording was, 'He whose life's flux is less than ruby wieldeth the sword to fell the Aleph'. This is just a very abbreviated version of the description, of course. Initially, I assumed it was a specific man with a specific weapon the book referred to, a hunter. I have pondered over and studied this particular portion of the document for decades. It was not until the modern times of blood typing had arrived that I finally discovered the true meaning of it. There is one specific blood group which is in fact the rarest on the planet. You can safely state it is almost as rare as a White Oak tree. It has only recently been discovered, although it has always been there, I presume. It is called the Bombay type. Its bearers miss one very specific antigen which is what makes their blood just the hint of a shade lighter than normal blood. The human eye could never discern the difference. Be that as it may, it is fatally poisonous to us. Once in our system, this blood will immediately react with ours – you could compare it to an acute hemolytic reaction when a human receives a transfusion of the wrong blood type, only that it would kill us instantly, decomposing all our inner organs until it reaches and destroys the heart. No more than fifteen humans in the world possess this specific blood group. It is not stocked in any blood banks, and I have made it my business to know who these fifteen people are. Twelve of them live in different regions of India, one in some very remote town in Siberia, one in Angola and one in Berchtesgaden in Germany. Thirteen of them are dead by now."

"You killed them, I presume?"

"Yes. Before I could also kill the remaining two, Katerina and Mystic Falls demanded my attention and I have not had an opportunity to finish what I started. So there is one man left in India, in Darjeeling to be precise, and another one in Berchtesgaden. I do not have anyone watching them for it would drive attention to them sooner or later, but I will need to extinguish them at some point in time. However, this will not guarantee that new humans with that rare blood type might not be born eventually. As it has been mentioned in a text as ancient as the Original Grimoire, the Bombay type has always existed, so even once I kill the remaining two bearers, we cannot be certain that it will not appear again, maybe in some other shape or form. We will need to watch the respective research very closely and take appropriate measures if need be."

Elijah looked at Klaus in utter astonishment, shaking his head while obviously trying to digest what he had just heard. "How did you find out that it reacts with our blood?"

"I experimented, mixing a few drops of my blood with a sample of what I came to call the Pale Blood I took from one of the bearers in India right before he died. The reaction could be compared to corrosive acid's."

"So if anyone finds out about this…"

"… we will need to be on the watch, very much so. However, three factors are working in our favour – the lighter colour, a very distinctive coppery smell and the fact that the two aforementioned persons will be extremely hard to find."

Elijah shook his head and swirled his Cognac. "You found them."

"It took me years, brother. Why would anyone else be faster? Furthermore, whoever reads the manuscript will have to find out the meaning behind the 'life's flux less than ruby' part first. Which also took me years, and I never spoke of it to anyone."

"All right then," the older Original replied, "where is that book hidden? I believe it would be safe to assume you do not have it with you, so where is it?"

Now a small but distinctly smug grin appeared on Klaus' face. "The Vatican."

His brother almost choked on his drink. "Pray repeat that, Niklaus. I have the feeling I have not heard you correctly."

"The Vatican. Secret Archives," Klaus confirmed, still grinning. "Come on, Elijah, you have to appreciate that twist if nothing else."

The older Mikaelson rolled his eyes. "I certainly recognize the irony. Brother, you are aware that the Secret Archives are indeed no longer secret to scholars and researchers from all over the world, are you not? The document can therefore be found, and although I doubt any human would take it seriously, word will get around and eventually reach the ears of the supernatural community. And then all hell will break loose."

Klaus tsked and grabbed his snifter again. "O ye of little faith! First of all, I destroyed the manuscript I received and wrote the entire document anew. In code. _My _code. You have heard of the Voynich Manuscript, dear brother, I assume?"

With a nod, Elijah replied, "The one document no one on this planet has ever managed to decipher. I tried my hand for a while after it was published online, because something about it struck me as oddly familiar, but I have to admit that I failed."

Beaming widely, Klaus could not prevent a certain note of pride slipping into his voice when he went on. "It is mine. I invented the code, I wrote it, making the book appear to stem from the fifteenth century. It is my early warning system. The Voynich Manuscript is so famous all over the globe that any breaking of the code will immediately be divulged over every news channel. Once that happens, I know the Original Grimoire is no longer safe in its current form, as I coded it in exactly the same way. The code translates into Aramaic, and only the middle portion of the work is the actual Original Grimoire. The first thirty and last fifty pages are a treatise on ancient monetary systems, so unless it falls into the hands of a numismatic enthusiast, the translation of something so dull will not be on anyone's top priority list."

He took a sip of his Hennessy and remembered the endless nights and days pouring over the code, putting the copy of the Original Grimoire together and crafting the Voynich Manuscript. It had been very entertaining and it had kept his mind occupied, but it had been an awful amount of work. However, observing all those scholars and scientists attempting to make sense of the Voynich was a source of amusement to this day. Clearing his throat, he went on.

"But the most important security measure is in here." He touched his index finger to his forehead. "I omitted three ingredients from the text. One for the creation of Original vampires, one for witches and one for werewolves. So even if the manuscript is found, decoded, translated and interpreted correctly, no one will ever be able to put together the required potions. I am the only one who can. And by the way, there _is _a part of the Vatican's Secret Archives that is not accessible to anyone. Anyone but the Pope himself. "

"So you compelled the Pope."

"Would not have been the first time, would it, brother?"

Now Elijah was grinning broadly. "All right, Niklaus. I am still upset with you for not sharing this with me earlier. Much earlier. But I have to admit to liking your intricate precautions. And the artistic touch – no one but you would ever concoct something like that. Chapeau, brother. So do you believe this is what Marcel and the not-quite-so-charming Miss Bennett are after?"

"Indeed I do. We need to foresee any contingency, as always, but I would like to… involve Kol in the planning. Gods, I never thought I would say anything this ludicrous, but he did well over the last weeks. He has earned some trust, would you not agree?"

Elijah raised his snifter and cocked a brow. "It would seem both of my little brothers are finally beginning to grow up. Heaven help us. The end is nigh."


	21. The Answer to the Question

**Большое спасибо ****Россия**! :)

**Okay, first and foremost - over 300 reviews?! You guys are beyond amazing! THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! :) XXXX**

**As this has been brought up a number of times by now, within reviews and PMs, I would like to quickly comment on Klaus' name. Yes, I am aware that there are very many people who want Caroline to call him Nik. I honestly apologize for disappointing those readers, but she will not do that, and I have my own personal - admittedly peculiar - reason for it. And I am also aware that Niklaus is what he has been called by his parents whom he was never particularly fond of. Two comments on that: First, it is also what Elijah calls him, the brother he loves above all his other siblings, and he doesn't mind that at all. Second, I believe it is a sign for his development and the way he detaches himself from his own past that the name he was once called by his parents - the two people he hated the most - has now become the name he is being called by the two people he _loves_ the most. But that is of course just my view on things! :)  
**

**I am seriously sorry and I don't mean to upset anyone. Hope you will still stay on board anyway! :)**

**Marie, Ellie66, Justine, Ana20, Brittsmile19 and the anonymous reviewers - I'm sending a couple of big hugs your way! ;) And another special hello to India today! :)**

**The two of them might be up to something just a tiny little bit smutty today! **

**Please enjoy, and I hope you will find the chapter review-worthy, too! :)**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION

Caroline scrutinized her appearance in the floor-length mirror of Silv's and Elijah's suite. When they had returned from their shopping trip, Silv had immediately shooed her into the spa, just briefly allowing her to show her face in the terrace door so Klaus would not roam the entire town believing she had gone missing again.

They had a lovely time in the spa, indulging in an incredible body treatment that included brown sugar exfoliation, a massage with actual warm chocolate and a black pearl facial. The flow of champagne never stopped, and when they were not talking, they listened to the relaxing sounds of some bossa nova that had apparently been imported from Brazil. When the hair stylist asked her for her wishes, it took her a while to decide how she envisioned herself to look tonight. They would leave for the States tomorrow, so it had been decided they would also leave all unpleasant topics to the next day and for once just enjoy an evening out. Elijah had made reservations at a fancy restaurant aptly called Patagonia Sur and Silv had suggested they go dancing afterwards.

Maybe it was the champagne or the bohemian flair the town radiated on every corner, but she felt… wild. Unruly. That was what she wanted to look like. Describing the stylist what she had in mind, she saw Silv grin at her and nod.

"Go for the dramatic. We want him to drool, don't we?"

She _did _look dramatic. Her hair was a wild mane of glossy curls, her face and her entire body were resplendent with a subdued golden shimmer, courtesy of something the spa lady had rubbed into her skin with a light wink. Everything about her seemed to glow and sparkle, and she'd had to look twice when she had finally seen her own reflection.

The cocktail dress she had chosen was a knee-length Gucci, a grey georgette halterneck with a cutaway shoulder neckline, inconspicuous metal beaded embroidery and mirrored geometric stones at the neckline. The matching dark grey high heels were Charles Jourdan, very classic, very delicate, and both her toenails and fingernails were painted in the exact same shade as the dress. The one hint of colour was her lipstick, an elaborate creation that had been applied with an actual airbrush. It started with a very dark shade of burgundy at the rim of her lips, gradually blending into a fractionally lighter shade towards the center. It was spectacular.

Silv was standing behind her, smiling appreciatively. "You look absolutely fantastic, sister. Not that you haven't a gazillion times before, but you will sweep him off his feet tonight!"

Caroline smirked. "Look who's talking! I wouldn't be surprised to see Elijah lose his cool for once and drag you right off into the next empty storage room once he lays eyes on you!" Silv had such an innate elegance that everything she wore made her look like a queen, but tonight, she resembled an empress in her black Stella McCartney.

Her sister-in-law chuckled. "Who says it would be the first time for Elijah to lose his cool? Shall we, then?"

When they arrived at the lobby, Caroline noticed that heads were turning. She felt flattered, but there was only one pair of eyes she really craved to devour her. Her heart swelled at seeing Klaus and Elijah sitting at the bar, their backs to them, both wearing what looked like ridiculously expensive suits.

"Gentlemen," Caroline heard Silv whisper, knowing perfectly well the men could hear her across the bar. Her gaze was fixed on Klaus as he turned around – and she wouldn't have wanted to miss the expression on his face for anything in the world. His eyes widened at the sight of her, and his mouth dropped open. She could hear his sharp intake of breath as he took in her appearance, feeling admiration, love and desire emanating from him in waves. And possessiveness. Everything about his poise screamed to the skies that she was his. Caroline felt heat rising inside her as he elegantly slid off his stool and came towards her, smooth like a leopard stalking his prey. The way he moved was positively sinful, and Caroline forgot everything around her at the sight of her man. Klaus in a suit had always been sex in its most condensed form, and even more so tonight. Did they really have to go to dinner?

The second he had reached her, he halted, took her hand with a formality she had never witnessed before, and sank into an immaculate bow over her fingers. But the moment his lips touched her hand, she felt his tongue dash out and lick the little space between her middle and third finger. It was all Caroline could do not to jump him right there, in the middle of a crowded hotel lobby. _The freaking devil! That's what he is!_

He rose and took both of her hands, placing them on his chest and covering them with his. His voice was dark and seductive as his sparkling eyes locked with hers.

"'Beauty is a form of genius – it is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime, or the reflection in dark water of that silver shell we call the moon.'" She stared at him, mesmerized, watching a smile spread on his face until it had reached his dimples. "Unfortunately, my love, I cannot claim credit for this quote, as it belongs to the timelessly perfect Oscar Wilde, but these next words are entirely mine." His voice lowered to a barely discernible whisper as his lips brushed her earlobe.

"I am _burning _for you."

This time, she couldn't help a gasp. _Oh God! We have to go upstairs _now_! I can't wait an entire evening! _When he pulled her closer for a second, Caroline had to bite her lip to stop herself from gasping again. He was hard as iron.

* * *

Dinner was exquisite. The restaurant served classic Argentinian specialties with an international twist, and the food was an utterly sensual experience, underlined by Klaus' choice of some amazing local wines. The four of them had been talking animatedly about anything not death-and-doom related, having a wonderfully relaxed evening and just keeping the outside world at bay.

But neither the food nor the wine could distract Caroline from the explosive sparks that were flying between her and Klaus. They sat very closely and she could acutely feel his hand on her back through the thin fabric of her dress, his fingers tracing patterns. Not languidly, the way they usually did, but demanding and determined. He was planning on driving her crazy! _Quid pro quo, you demon!_

Hidden by the sturdy table, she sinuously lifted her leg to place it over his. Seeing him grip his fork tighter while he was just saying something to Silv about how some new Porsche Spyder no longer looked like a Porsche at all, she bit down a smile and concentrated on inconspicuously stroking his calf with her foot. His muscles tensed, but there was nothing he could do to stop her without someone noticing. Caroline tried to follow the conversation, attempting to chase away the more than alluring thought of letting her fingers run over his crotch right now, but her imagination was beginning to run wild, making her think about slipping under the table and having her way with him until he screamed for mercy. Inwardly shaking her head at herself, she dug her fingernails into her palm, forcing herself to focus.

When dinner was over, Caroline was a mess. She was so turned on from his hidden touches, his breath on her neck whenever he leaned over to her, and the moment he had licked a single drop of red wine from his lips! Now they were headed to some nightclub in the city center, huddled together in the back seat of the Maybach. Elijah and Silv were next to them, holding hands while he was explaining something about a couple of sights they were passing. Caroline felt Klaus' overwhelming presence next to her so intensely that she noticed how her breathing accelerated infinitesimally without her even touching him. The moment Elijah pointed at something and both he and Silv looked out of the window, her hand was on the bulge in Klaus' pants, feeling his cock twitch underneath the delicate fabric of his suit. Faster than a thought, his hand removed hers from his hard length, clutching it and gently stroking her fingers. He shot her a warning glance, but his eyes were shining with amusement, desire, lust and joy, making her tremble with anticipation at the night that lay ahead of them.

The nightclub was a dark, small and intimate place, and Caroline was surprised to hear electronic music. She had expected Elijah to opt for something more traditional, but then again, Silv had probably behind this choice. Klaus and Elijah went to get drinks, and Silv gave Caroline a very big smirk.

"He's about to explode, if you ask me. Play your cards right, and he will kneel and beg before the night is over," she joked.

"I sincerely hope so," Caroline giggled. She was a bit tipsy, admittedly, but it was always such fun to kid around with her sister-in-law, especially about the more lewd stuff. "But in all honesty, I'm five minutes away from begging _him_!" They grinned at each other just as Klaus and Elijah returned with the drinks.

Caroline gazed at the small dance floor. It was crowded and barely lit. _Perfect._ She needed to feel his hands. He seemed to have the same idea, as he took her glass and put it on the table, holding out his hand. With a smile, she took it and let him lead her to the dance floor. He made his way all to the back, to a little space where there was almost no light.

Pulling her to him, he whispered, "I can't stand not touching you for another second, Caroline."

Moving deep into his embrace, she replied softly, "Then touch me."

The combination of his sensual dance moves, his hands on her body and his rock-hard erection against her was almost too much to bear. The darkness was hiding them from most of the other dancers, making them both more daring in their moves, more demanding in the way their hands roamed over each other's bodies. Caroline was dizzy with desire. She had only ever danced with him on formal occasions, ballroom dance, but never like this. He moved almost as erotically as he did in bed, and it was making her knees go weak. _More. Now._

"I said, _touch me,"_ she hissed.

There was the little daredevil gleam in his eyes she had always adored, and before she could take another breath, he had turned her away from the crowd, shielding her from the other dancers with his body. And then his hand was underneath her dress. Touching her core. _Surprise, my little demon. You're not the only one who can go commando._

"Hell, my love," he almost snarled at the unexpected discovery, both of them desperately trying to retain the last little bit of control, "do you want me to take you right here, in front of everyone? Careful. I will."

Caroline grabbed the lapels of his suit, her eyes glittering with lust, her voice so husky she didn't recognize it herself. "Make me come. Right here. Right now. Without anyone noticing."

Gritting his teeth, he yanked up her leg and hitched it around his hip, all the while they never stopped dancing. "Caroline, whenever you come, the world stops. How will anyone _not _notice?" But at the very same moment, two of his fingers slid into her, very slowly, and he began to pump to the rhythm of the music, matching the moves of their hips, his eyes registering her every emotion, devouring the wild desire on her face. She met his eager fingers, contracting around them with every thrust, biting her lip to stop herself from moaning with each move of his hand. It was crazy. The music, the dance, the thick air, her outlandishly sexy man who was getting as lost in his hunger as she was…

"I want you," he rasped, never once ceasing to inflict his delicious agony on her, "Gods, my love, I need to be inside you soon. _Very_ soon."

His thumb was now massaging her clit, and Caroline closed her eyes, her hands on his shoulders, her forehead sinking against his as he let his expert fingers increase their speed. Klaus was panting lightly now, sensing he was only seconds away from what she knew he considered his personal heaven – feeling her come in his arms. Her legs began to tremble uncontrollably, and she held on to him as she welcomed the delicious ecstasy he always brought down on her so easily.

"Now," was all she could hiss.

His eyes closed, and she felt him soak up every nanosecond of her orgasm and of the way he rendered her completely helpless. She was panting against his neck, desperately trying to suppress the loud moans that threatened to escape her. "My sweet, unbearably desirable woman," he purred with his velvety voice while he gently rode out the last remains of her release, "you could turn a monk into a satyr." His fingers slowly retreated from her now. Her legs were still shaking, and he held her very close, supporting her weight until she had fully regained her composure. _And we are still dancing._

"Is there anything you could ever be in less danger of becoming than a monk?" She gave him a tender kiss before she wickedly smiled at him.

"A vegetarian," he chuckled, taking her deeper into his arms and kissing her thoroughly, running his hands through her hair.

They enjoyed some more quiet minutes of their dance when she suddenly stiffened. "We have to head back to the hotel, right now. There is something…" she urged, making her voice sound a little panicky.

"What is it?" he demanded, confusion clear on his face. Caroline snuggled into his arms. They were dancing after all.

"I have to have you, Niklaus Mikaelson. All of you. And this time, I want to scream your name to the skies."

She saw his eyes darken and his lips part.

"Let us go, my darling. As in, _this instant._"

* * *

Klaus had no idea how they had made it up to their room. Ever since he had laid eyes on her earlier that evening, looking so elegant and yet so wild, he had not been able to think clearly. Had Elijah and Silv not been with them, he would have taken her the minute the car doors had closed behind them. The way she had been teasing him all night, seducing him with her eyes, her fingers, her everything, had him on the constant verge of explosion – and he loved it. He adored how she played with him, how she let him play with her, how everything they did and did not do to each other set them both on fire. When they had returned from the dance floor, after she had come for him so exquisitely, he had seen Elijah imperceptibly raise a brow and shake his head. But his brother had been smiling, and neither he nor Silv had protested at their hurried departure.

Like the night before in Ushuaia, they had not been able to let go of each other for hours. Their separation had done nothing to quell their craving for one another; if anything, it had only augmented it. Klaus had understood perfectly well why Caroline had been reluctant to make love to him after he had found her, and even though his desire was simmering inside him whenever he was near her, he had felt no inclination to act on it in any way at all as long as he had known she was not there yet, and what he had told her was the truth. He would have waited forever. But now that they were back to sharing that overwhelming physical passion they felt for each other, there was a raging urge inside him to make up for every second he had not been able to touch her, taste her, see her.

When they had first entered the room, the door had barely closed behind them when he had flashed them to the balcony, hitched up her dress and ferociously took her against the balustrade, drowning out their frenzied cries with neverending, devouring kisses. Klaus knew she loved it when he took charge like that, and so did he, but she never failed to leave him breathless with the way her eyes challenged him to show her ever new paths, to take her places she had never discovered before. Just as he adored the times she became all bossy and commanding, forbidding him to touch her until she allowed him to, using his body to chase her own pleasures. But in the end, they were always equals.

They had shared blood tonight, and it had almost broken his heart to see a tear glistening on Caroline's cheek when she had lifted her face from his neck, a few red drops on her lovely lips. He had missed her sweet, delicious blood, too, but he hadn't been aware of how much it seemed to mean to her. Very gently, he had nudged her head back towards his neck and caressed her hair while she continued to drink from him, her little sounds of pleasure making his skin vibrate with desire.

She was resting in his arms now, curled around his body, claiming him as her own even in her sleep. Klaus tightened his embrace infinitesimally so as not to wake her, and a cascade of emotions streamed through him when she unconsciously snuggled closer and held him even more possessively, heaving a little sigh. He had been so happy with her before their separation, and more than once, he had wondered how he had come to deserve all that bliss. But something had changed. His feelings for Caroline were stronger than ever, all-consuming, and yet there was a new sense of maturity to them. He had always felt protective of her, but her leaving had taught him that in order to shield _her, _he also had to protect their relationship as well as himself from anything and anyone. What he had seen in her eyes the day he had found her had been profoundly aggravating. He had always told Caroline that nothing could ever break her, not even he. Now he feared he would need to reconsider. His beautiful girl was strong for a dozen people, as was he, but they both shared the same fatal weakness. The paralyzing fear of losing the other and the disturbing knowledge that they would never again be able to fully function without one another.

He knew he should be panicking about that fact, immediately begin devising a million plans and backup plans to prevent it from ever happening again, but human Niklaus just rejoiced, virtually dancing around a bonfire with the sheer joy of having been chosen in such an absolute way. Of being the one and only for her, the man she could exist but not _live_ without. It was twisted, he was well aware of that, but it made him happy beyond words.

Klaus let his eyes wander to the balcony doors, watching the drapes move delicately in the faint breeze. For the first time in a millennium, he did not feel the slight thrill of anticipation that had always rushed through him at the thought of subduing an enemy, taking on a new challenge or planning a complex scheme to gain his own ends. Spending time with Caroline in Patagonia, discovering, seeing things with her eyes, just living from day to day, reveling in sharing the wonders of the world… it had been a hundred times more rewarding than the fleeting satisfaction at seeing a plan work the way he had meant it to, and he wanted more of that. He needed some quiet times, at least for a while, and he wanted Caroline not to have to worry about anything but the choice between coffee or tea for breakfast. She was so young and yet she had gone through so much already that she deserved happiness and everything he could give her. She deserved his time and his full attention.

_Decisions, Niklaus_.

With infinite care, he disentangled himself from her embrace, smiling at how she had almost knotted herself into his limbs, and silently donned a pair of pants and a shirt. Stepping into the hallway bare-foot, he whispered in the general direction of Elijah's suite, "Brother. Apologies for disturbing you, but would you mind meeting me in the garden?" He did not wait for an answer but ghosted downstairs, not bothering to use the elevator, and flashed into the shadowy gardens.

Not even two minutes later, Elijah materialized at his side. They had always been the only ones able to sneak up on each other. Klaus smiled apologetically.

"I am sorry, Elijah, I hope I did not… interrupt."

With a light grin, his brother shook his head. "You would still be waiting, and for another while, had that been the case. But I am surprised that _you_ already managed to leave your bed, judging by your brief display of exhibitionism earlier this evening" he added, his voice only a little teasing.

Klaus chuckled. "The lady is still young. She does need to catch her breath every now and then." He paused and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "Brother, a long while ago, when all the Mikael and Prelati events had barely begun to unfold, you have asked me a question. Do you remember?"

"_'A man is what he fights for. When the smoke clears, and you get right down to it, what is it that you fight for, Niklaus?'_ I believe those were my exact words. And you were to think very thoroughly about them and come to me once you found your answer." Elijah gazed at him attentively. "May I deduct from this early morning meeting that you have indeed discovered said answer?"

Taking a deep breath, the younger Original nodded. "My family. That is the one thing I fight for. I thought I had already known that, but I was mistaken. There have always been too many adjunct events, too many skirmishes on the sidelines that kept my mind from truly focusing on the one worthy cause for battle. All those years, Elijah, I had the living example for someone who knew how to choose his feuds right under my nose, and yet I never saw it. It was you." He paused to nod at his brother. "You picked your fights by one single criterion – if the family, mostly me, was endangered, you went to war. You were never sidetracked."

Elijah shook his head. "I beg to differ. My focus on the family was very much diverted towards Katerina, and for an embarrassing number of years at that. I fought for her, over her, and I completely lost my focal point during that time." He paused. "It took me very long to realize that the right woman does not sidetrack you, she makes you focus on what truly matters."

"Caroline continuously does that, both deliberately and without knowing."

"I have observed that very many times," Elijah smiled, "and, Niklaus, it pleases me very much to hear that you have finally realized that out of all those goals you have pursued over the centuries, none was as essential as keeping the family together and protect its members."

Letting his head fall back, Klaus took another deep breath, then he turned his gaze to his older sibling again. "There was something else you said to me that night."

"I said many things. Which one are you referring to?"

Hesitantly, the younger Mikaelson murmured, "You expressed your hope for me to sheath my sword every once in a while and find some rest." He saw Elijah raise a brow. "I have made a decision, brother. Once we have taken care of Marcel and the Bennett witch, I will step down for some time. New Orleans will be given to Kol, although you have to give me your word you will keep an eye on him. And do not say anything to him just yet, I want him to struggle for a little longer. You will assume the overall responsibility for everything else." Elijah stared at him, wide-eyed. It was clear that he had not expected this. "Do not get me wrong. This is not permanent. I know myself well enough, as do you, to realize that I will not be able to relinquish all control for good. But I need some time, Elijah. A sabbatical from world domination, so to speak. I want to travel with Caroline, and I want her to live without any concerns for a while. But I cannot do that unless I know you will be there to take charge."

What followed was one of those moments that had always made Klaus think of Elijah more as a father than a brother. His older sibling put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I know how hard this must be, Niklaus. You have been in control for a thousand years, it has become your natural state, in a way. So without wanting to sound condescending – I am very proud of you. And I believe it is the right decision, brother. Of course I will handle everything during your absence, you will not need to worry."

"I know that. Do keep me informed, though. And… when there are battles to be fought, we will fight them together."

"Which changes nothing about the fact that I am still the better fighter," Elijah snickered.

"Dream on, big brother."

* * *

When they arrived in Newark early the next morning, Elijah stared at his phone for a very long time, frowning, before he looked up at them.

"Kol has disappeared." _No! What? _

Caroline felt Klaus tense at her side and gently put a hand on his arm. Everyone was staring at Elijah.

"What happened?" Klaus asked curtly, his voice all business, although he was not quite able to put the little undertone of concern out of it.

His older brother held up his phone. "Remy texted. Kol has not been seen for days when before, he made a daily appearance at Remy's. He has already tried Davina, whom Kol seemed to have spent quite some time with lately, and she has not seen him either."

Klaus was on his phone instantly. "Mailbox." He signaled to Elijah who immediately dialed a number. "Remy. When was the last time you saw him?" he asked without any further ado when the Spaniard answered his phone.

_"Four days ago. He came sometime around late afternoon, and he stayed for a couple of hours."_

"Who did he speak with?"

_"Me, of course, and then he shared a drink with that Nigel, you know, the one who lives out in the woods near Lake Salvador? They left together and I haven't seen Kol since."_

"What do the rumour mills say?"

There was a brief silence before Remy answered, _"You know what they say."_

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "One day in the not-too-far future, you will have to choose a side, Remy. Choose wisely." He broke the connection and Klaus looked at all of them, slipping his hand into Caroline's.

"All right. Elijah, you and Silv head back to New Orleans immediately. Silv will speak to Davina again, maybe she knows more than she admits. We need her on our side, and I believe the fact that Kol has gone missing will work out in our favour. She has liked him for a while now, and if they have spent that much time together during our absence, her feelings for him will probably not have diminished. On the contrary. She will want to find him as well. Furthermore, I have a rather strong notion that we will still need her. She is very young, and her abilities are not quite as developed as I would wish, but the foundation is there." Silv nodded, and Klaus went on.

"Elijah, I need you to inconspicuously seek out the werewolf pack in Fairview on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain. They hate Marcel, and as they keep roaming the woods around the lake, they may have seen something and are willing to speak. Threaten them if necessary. Tell them I found another doppelganger and am about to build up a new Hybrid army, but you will put in a word with me to spare them, or whatever you can think of. Other than that, go around the town and very ostentatiously search for Kol, speaking to everyone and seeking out his usual haunts. It is perfectly understandable that you are looking for your younger brother, and you will be spreading that you suspect he just went on another rampage, and with all the family problems, you really do not need that right now. We will call Bekah to join you, and Silv, you will always remain at either Elijah's or Bekah's side." He paused again, squeezing Caroline's hand and running his thumb over her fingers.

"You will tell everyone that I am still travelling and will be for a while, completely broken by the loss of Caroline. No one must know we have found her. You and Silv have been babysitting me for all those weeks, but now you had to come back to look for Kol, which I am not in any shape to do. If they ask, tell them I have gone on extensive travels around the globe and have no inkling about Kol's disappearance."

The older Mikaelson looked at his brother quizzically. "What will you do?"

"I will get the book." _What book? Oh, probably what he wanted to talk to Elijah about before telling me._

"Why not leave it where it is? It is well hidden after all."

Klaus shook his head. "I believe we will need something to bargain with sooner or later, and we might also need some of the information contained in the document at some point. Do not fret, you know that even if they decode it, they will not be able to put together the correct recipes. But we will need the real thing."

Caroline frowned. "Would anyone mind telling me what it is you're talking about?"

With a very tender kiss to her cheek, Klaus mumbled, "You will learn everything once we are on our way, my love. It is a relatively long story." Then he turned to his brother again. "Elijah, do tell Silv about it as well. I will call Stefan and ask him and Damon to seek out Nigel and some of the other vampires in the swamps. If he left with Kol, chances are he is involved in his disappearance up to a point. The Salvatores will not join you in New Orleans for the time being, as I do not want to draw attention to them and have them being observed or followed. They can therefore move more freely than you can and operate below Marcel's radar, so to speak."

"Why don't you just go ahead and kill Marcel?" Caroline wanted to know. It was something she had been wondering about for quite some time, but she had learned that her man always had some sort of ulterior motive in everything he did.

Smiling lightly, Klaus cocked his head. "Believe me, my darling, it is not that I am not tempted. _Very_ tempted. But there are a few aspects to take into account. First of all, Kol is relatively safe as Marcel will be using him to extort whatever he wants from me. He wanted to weaken me by making you leave, believing it would lead me to lose my head and subsequently make mistakes, and as we all know, he was not entirely wrong about that. Now he will wait for the right moment to use Kol to threaten me with the loss of yet another family member. He will not kill him for the time being. Second, I need to find out what Marcel and Bonnie are plotting. He would never risk waging a war against the Original family if it was not for a truly desirable prize. There is something very big behind this. I have a vague idea, but I need to give it some more thought. Third, I want to avoid alarming Bonnie until we have secured a powerful ally within the world of witchcraft – namely Davina – and find the means to keep her from pursuing her plan, whatever it is. In this equation, Bonnie is the far more dangerous component, even if Marcel likes to believe otherwise."

Caroline shook her head. "I am not so sure about that, Niklaus," she said thoughtfully. All three of them were looking at her with interest now.

"What do you mean?"

"As you know, Bonnie was there the day Marcel made me leave you." They both winced unnoticeably. "There was something so servile about her manner, almost submissive. I've never seen her like that. Whatever happened to her, she has always been strong, independent and her own woman. The way she acted around Marcel was completely different. It made me think of the fifties, of the way the woman was supposed to wait for her man to come home, put the dinner on the table and cater to his every whim while smiling pleasantly."

Klaus nudged her playfully. "Oh, good. You know how it works, then, so let's just put it into practice!"

"The day you turn into a vegetarian," she giggled before she continued in a more serious tone. "What I am saying is, Bonnie may be a very, very powerful witch, but at least for the time being, she is doing Marcel's bidding. And she does it out of… love, or maybe infatuation, or whatever it is she feels for him. Which, for now, makes Marcel more dangerous than Bonnie."

Nodding, Elijah gave her an appreciative smile. "Very good, sister. We will indeed need to take that into account. Now, the next question is – will you be prepared to fight your friend when the time comes? Or would you prefer to be left out?"

_It's Bonnie we are talking about! Bonnie, who made your daylight ring, who went to school with you, who was such a sweet girl._

_Yeah, but it's also Bonnie who worked with Mikael and Prelati, Bonnie who helped Marcel send you away, Bonnie who hates Klaus and wants to see him destroyed!_

"I don't want her to die. But," she held up her hand when Klaus began to say something, "but if I have to choose between her and my family, my choice is clear. It is not even a choice. Only… can we at least _try_ not to kill her, if it is at all avoidable?"


	22. Dolce Vita for a Day

شكرا جزيلا **to all the Arabic-speaking countries! :)**

**Brittsmile19, Justine, Marie, Tricia, Ana20 and the Anons - thank you so much! Tricia, you had me laughing for hours after I read your comment! ;) Ana20 - I absolutely share your passion for Oscar Wilde - he was beyond amazing! **

**One more day for them to catch their breath... they'll be very busy going forward! :)**

**Please enjoy, and thank you all for your amazing kindness! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DOLCE VITA FOR A DAY

Rome. She was in _Rome._ The Eternal City was right here, at her feet. Klaus had taken a large penthouse suite at the Hassler, arguably the most traditional of Rome's luxury hotels, situated right atop the Spanish Steps. He had explained to her that he had chosen the Hassler because of the privacy guaranteed to its patrons, its luxury, the very old school service – and above all, its overwhelming view of the ancient city.

Caroline stood on the terrace of their suite, eyes wide open, drinking in the incredible sight. She had the strange feeling of history floating through the air, invading her every cell. There were domes and spires, the Pantheon, Aventino Hill and the Borghese Gardens. This was the city of Julius Caesar, Nero… and Caligula. She had to grin for a second, thinking of the pitch black stallion back in New Orleans who was probably very anxiously waiting for the return of a certain Original. Then her gaze returned to the wonders before her eyes. The sun was burning down mercilessly on the ancient city, and there was the hint of a haze over it. From down in the streets, she heard the noises of traffic – honking, screeching brakes, people shouting at each other. On their way from the airport, she had had her first taste of driving, Italian style. It was mayhem. Pandemonium. Anarchy. The limousine driver had been relatively quiet, but she had seen him inconspicuously give the finger to other drivers a couple of times, and she had had a hard time refraining from giggling. She had no idea whatsoever how people managed to get from one place to another without crashing at least half a dozen times. It was probably some kind of art or science.

If only they had a little more time to explore! But it seemed that they were destined to never stay in one place for long, there was always some danger to fight, something to find, someone to speak to. _Don't worry, Caroline. Maybe one day. And you had those two weeks with him in Patagonia, so it doesn't matter if we can't really see anything of Rome this time._

She felt him coming up behind her, taking her into his arms the way he always did when she was reveling in a new sight, giving her time to soak up what she saw and never saying anything to disrupt her musings at a first impression of something. A rather short while later, he released her again, and she was about to protest when his arm came around her, holding out a glass of pink champagne.

"We have been deprived of Krug for longer than I care to remember, my love," he whispered. "This is the Rosé. And it is also my apology for bringing you here without the proper time to show you the city as thoroughly as you should see it for the first time. Although I have to admit it is a poor apology." He kissed her neck very tenderly. "I will collect the manuscript tomorrow and we will need to head back right after that. But we have this afternoon and we will have tonight, so once we finish our drinks, I will take you to a little place I wanted to show you."

Her eyes closed at the divine taste of the champagne she, too, had missed for so long. When she opened them again, she let her head drop back onto his shoulder, sighing contentedly. "I love you," she murmured, feeling his arm around her waist squeeze her tightly. "I think it is the only appropriate thing to say in the face of something as magnificent as this view. Not that it could be compared to my feelings for you," she chuckled. After another sip and a few minutes of comfortable silence, she asked, "Where is the Vatican?"

Klaus pointed ahead. "See the two large domes?" Caroline nodded, gazing into the direction he was indicating. "The second one, further in the back, is St. Peter's. That is where the Vatican is located."

She didn't want to think about it yet. Klaus had explained that she would need to stay behind when he went for the Original Grimoire. He hated the idea as much as she did, but he had reasonably pointed out that a woman's presence invariably still drew attention in the heart of the Catholic Church's nerve center, and he wouldn't be able to compel each and every clergyman they encountered, so she would wait at St. Peter's. He had told her everything about the document during their flight, and Caroline had choked on her drink when he had mentioned that he was planning on compelling the Pope as his book was hidden in some obscure part of the Secret Archives only the pontiff had the keys to. Klaus had pointed out that the key could be stolen relatively easily, but breaking into the Archives would take considerably more time and compulsion than the simpler solution – he would go and get his manuscript _together with the Pope._ She still couldn't wrap her mind around it. Shaking her head, she chased the topic away.

"So while we are drinking, you might as well make yourself useful and tell me a little bit about Caligula," she grinned, earning a huff. "When in Rome…"

"You are of course aware that I am _not_ old enough to have met the man in person?" he inquired teasingly, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

"I remember someone saying something about knowing an awful lot about _everything _the other day, so bring it on, wiseass."

"How could I resist such a charming request?" he chuckled, shaking his head and taking a sip of his Krug. "Caligula was twenty-five when he ascended to the throne, and at that time, he was immensely popular. Contrary to his predecessor's austerity, he showered the people with lavish games, abolished an unpopular tax and was very present among the Romans, sharing their enthusiasm for chariot races, circuses, festivals and other diversions. However, within the four brief years of his reign, he managed to become the most hated ruler the Empire would ever know. Historians say he had been mentally unstable all his life, and six months into his reign, he fell seriously ill. Hovering between life and death for weeks, he was apparently not the same man when he finally recovered. He was cruel, unpredictable and developed a distinctive fondness for orgies, torture and executions. It is said he was in incestuous relationships with all three of his sisters, liked to dress as a woman from time to time and forced husbands to watch while he had intercourse with their wives. At age twenty-nine, he was murdered by officers of the Praetorian Guard whom he seemed to have severely insulted in some way."

He raised a brow and took another swig. "This is what has been circulating about Caligula for two millennia, but one has to be very careful with this kind of information. I do not doubt that there is more than a grain of truth to everything that was said about him, but you have to take into account that many of the contemporary historians who witnessed the events firsthand and on whose testimonies we base our knowledge of the events belonged to the upper echelons of Roman society and were rather biased. Caligula was not on the best of terms with the nobility, which was mainly due to his haughtiness and arrogance. Therefore we can safely assume that the larger part of what has been recorded about his depravities is greatly exaggerated. I am certain, however, that he was a very cruel man indeed."

Caroline had been listening closely. She remembered having read something about Caligula ages ago, but she had never really given it another thought. It was probably different when you were right in the middle of a city that had actually _seen_ all of these events and innumerable other occurrences. Looking down at the Roman panorama, she held her breath at the thought of everything these ancient, indifferent walls had witnessed.

She nuzzled his neck with her nose. "So do you think those times were generally crueler than the ones we live in now?"

"Every era is cruel in its own way, but I do believe that ancient times were less restrained when it came to displays of physical violence. Well, I may need to correct myself – they might have _seemed _less restrained from the viewpoint of the average modern-day human. You would not believe the amount and variety of cruelty and violence you can find just around the corner if you look closely enough. Within a one-mile radius from where we are standing, I could point you to at least five doors that open to the sort of depravity that, should you believe in anything, will make you lose your religion at once."

Giving a light shiver, she whispered, "I remember you saying that sometimes, humans can be the far greater monsters."

He turned her around and his hands tenderly cupped her cheeks. "They can." Caroline's eyes fluttered shut as his soft, full lips covered hers. He kissed the corners of her mouth, her lower lip, her upper lip, before he claimed her mouth again, his tongue slowly moving to meet hers. She knew what he was doing – he wanted to chase away the dark thoughts that threatened to take hold in her head. _I adore you for things like these, my lovely man!_

They kissed for many minutes before Caroline gently retreated. "Take me to the place you wanted to show me," she smiled, pressing a light kiss to the curve of his shoulder, making him give a very low moan. He put down his glass and held out his hand when another thought crossed her mind. "Okay, before we leave, name one celebrity you shagged here in Rome, and where exactly," she giggled, grabbing her glass and downing the remains of her Krug.

He smirked and raised a brow. "Roman celebrity, or just any celebrity, only that it happened here?"

"The latter."

There was no hesitation. "Grace Kelly. The roof of what now is the Westin Excelsior. She was about twenty-two or twenty-three at the time."

Caroline almost dropped her flute. "_The_ Grace Kelly? How… I mean… you didn't compel her, right?"

Now he laughed out loud, then he grabbed her and in a whirl of a move hoisted her up onto the little wall that surrounded the terrace, his arms securely around her. Then he bent forward, nudging her until her back was dangling over the edge, about sixty feet above the ground. Before she could shriek or protest, he kissed her so hard that she entirely forgot about why she should actually not like this. When he finally retreated, pulling her back with him, she was dizzy and completely breathless.

"Would you like to repeat your doubts about my capabilities in the art of seduction?" he teased, giving her another kiss, very softly this time. She playfully shoved him back a little and shook her head.

"Hey, we are talking about Grace Kelly! She was probably not a pushover like me, pun intended."

"Excuse me?" he exclaimed with mock outrage. "A pushover? _You?_ Pray recall just how long it took me to wear you down!"

"Uh-uh! No way you're blaming that on me! I was all over you all the time in Norway, and _you_ were the one continuously going on about how I wasn't ready blah blah! I wanted you like crazy and you were playing hard to get, Mr. Mikaelson!"

They were both laughing by now, and Caroline pulled him back into her arms. "And I'm so glad I got you in the end," she whispered, seeing his eyes close before he kissed her hair. "Now tell me – was she that beautiful in real life?"

"She was. Quite honestly, Grace Kelly was probably one of the three most beautiful women I have seen in a thousand years, although her beauty was not a warm one. It was very cool and somewhat otherworldly. Still, she was a sight to behold."

"Who were the other two?" Caroline inquired, a little angry at herself over how she was still feeling the little pang that always raced through her at the thought of her Klaus with another woman. Admiring another woman, even.

He took her hand and led her towards the doors. "One was a nameless woman I happened across near a town called Tocuyito in Venezuela. She was working on a field when I rode by. She looked up, and I was so astonished at her face that I nearly fell off my horse. Her hair was a very unusual shade of dark blond, not common in Latin countries, and she was tanned by the sun from the work on the fields. In that moment, she seemed all golden. Her eyes were a light green, also very rare for a Latina. Suddenly she smiled at me, and her face lit up like a flame. It left me completely mesmerized."

_Pangs galore._ "What happened?" she asked cautiously.

"Nothing. I went on my way and I never saw her again. I did paint her though, I'll have to show you the painting one day."

"And the third woman?"

Just before they left the room, he turned to her and raised a brow.

"Do you really need to ask?"

* * *

He took her to a minuscule park on one of Rome's seven hills. It was filled with orange trees, exuding an intoxicating scent all around. The view was spectacular – the Eternal City at her feet again, only from a completely different perspective this time. They walked through the little park for a long while, enjoying the serenity and the mesmerizing perfume that lingered in the air, then they strolled along the ancient streets, passing picturesque houses, rose gardens and impressive mansions. There were not very many tourists around, and Klaus explained that this area was mainly residential and therefore a little off the beaten path, but its view of the city and its village-like charm was quite unique.

Afterwards, they went to dinner in a small, rustic restaurant, huddling together in a corner and not able to take their eyes off one another. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere had something homey about it, although Caroline had a hard focusing on anything other than Klaus. It was one of those moments when being in love was the single most wonderful thing in the world. For one brief moment, the world held its breath and nothing else mattered. There were no problems, no fears and they knew no yesterday and no tomorrow.

When they left the restaurant, Klaus kissed her hand and told her there was one more sight he wanted her to see now, at night, for the atmosphere was incomparable. They took a taxi, stopping about ten minutes later, and walked through a number of small, winding streets until they turned a corner and stood in front of a railing.

Below them, Caroline saw a large area of ruins, lighted by strategically placed spots. Towering over everything, far in the background, she could see the Coliseum. Her mouth dropped open, and again, she was silenced by the sheer impact of true, tangible history.

"These are the remains of the Fori Imperiali, my love, the Imperial Forums. They were built by a number of different Roman Emperors between 46 BC and 113 AD. As some of your high school friends would probably phrase it – this stuff is old as shit."

Caroline just nodded, still gaping. There was something so fascinating about this, she couldn't even put it into proper words. "I would like to go a little closer, can we?" she asked absently. Klaus just took her hand, and they made their way down to the ruins. They weren't accessible to the general public, at least not up close, but then they were not general public, were they? Flashing towards a relatively dark corner of the site, Klaus stepped back and let her choose what she wanted to see first. Slowly, she approached a tall column and hesitantly put her hand on the stone. _This is two thousand years old! I am touching something people built two millennia ago. It has seen wars, peace, love, hate, emperors, peasants… _She touched her other hand to the ancient column as well and closed her eyes, running her fingers over the material, following indentations and scars, trying to imagine the men who had built this particular pillar with their bare hands.

His voice was a mere whisper when she felt him approach her. "You like this very much, do you not, my darling?" She nodded, still not able to speak. "And I love to see how you react to everything new, how you literally bathe in all the fresh sensations and images. I swear to you, Caroline, I will take you to see it all. The whole world is yours, and I will give it to you."

And she knew he would keep his word, no matter how, no matter when. It would probably just take a while.

* * *

"So is this your favourite city?" Caroline asked when they were back at the hotel, sharing another bottle of Krug and gazing down at Rome's myriads of lights.

Klaus shook his head. "It would be the logical choice, would it not? But no. I love to visit, I most definitely do, and I am quite certain that very many people would be appalled at my saying that there are other cities' atmospheres I prefer over Rome's. Out of the world's grand metropolises, my first choice is and will always be Paris. I know it is rather commonplace, but there is something so special, so magnetic about the town that it never ceases to draw me back in, however often I may have seen it over the centuries. Rome is a very earthy, robust city with a raw sinfulness about it that appeals to me on certain levels. Paris, on the other hand, exudes a sensuality that captivates me differently. The lights, the sounds, the scents, the sights… everything there speaks to all of my senses. But you will judge for yourself. It is quite possible that Rome captures you more, or maybe it will be a different city entirely. You see, although I very much fancy Paris and will always return to the city, I do not have a true favourite. Most of them have something that appeals to me. Rio is fascinating for its raw love of life, London for its sophistication and worldliness, Tokyo for the fact that despite its vastness, every district somehow seems like a little village in itself. It is a very captivating place. I can't wait to see which cities your heart will settle for."

Caroline lowered her head, gazing down at her champagne flute. "If we ever defeat all those threats. And once we are done, there will probably be the next one lined up. I can't imagine that things will ever allow us a real break." She knew she was being unfair, but for a little moment, a hint of bitterness flashed through her. Yes, he wanted to show her all of those places, and bit by bit, he would. But she wanted some time without worries, without fights and wars. _How has he managed to live through all those centuries, doing nothing but fighting, day in, day out? Okay, many of the fights started because of him in the first place, duh, but I haven't been at it for more than two years now, and I'm already tired of it._

Taking her hand, Klaus pulled her out of her chair and into his lap. "I have two brothers. One of them is more than capable of looking after the family for a while, and the other one will learn to. Once this is over, I will put down the scepter for some time."

She stared at him in complete disbelief, needing a few moments to recover from what he had just said. Then she shook her head determinedly. "No, Niklaus. I don't want you to do that because you feel obliged to show me the world. You wouldn't be happy being away from the power, and I most definitely don't want you to be unhappy."

He was running a hand up and down her arm, drawing little patterns with his fingers, giving her goose bumps. "Caroline, during the last two weeks we spent down in Patagonia, did you see me engage in any battles, slaughters or schemes to subjugate the world?"

"No," she muttered.

He tilted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Did I seem unhappy to you?"

_No. I had the impression you were just as crazily happy as I was._ "You had just found me again. Of course you were happy. But in the longer run…"

"Caroline," he interrupted, "I did not say forever. I am not so naïve as to think myself capable of completely forsaking who I am. Nor do I want to, you need to be aware of that. But what I do want and need is some time to dedicate to the two of us. A few years that belong to you and me alone, travelling, exploring the world and further discovering one another. Should there be any battles to fight for the safety of our family, I will fight them. But other than that, I will be there only for you. For us."

"Are you serious?" she whispered. "You will take a break from Big Bad Hybridding… or whatever it is we can call your _occupation_… for me?"

"It is not only for you, my darling. I am also doing it for myself. So, do you think you will be able to live with my constant presence for some time?"

With what sounded like a little sob, Caroline threw herself into his arms, embracing him so hard she would probably have pulverized any normal vampire. "I have never heard you ask a question that stupid," she mumbled into the curve of his shoulder. Klaus hugged her back, a joyful smile on his face.

"There is a little catch, though," he whispered in her ear. "I will want to shag you every bloody day, my love."

She raised her head, a look of complete and utter horror on her face. "Just _once_ a day? You've gotta be kidding me, mate!"

They both chuckled. Then Klaus brushed his knuckles over her cheek, her neck… her throat… her cleavage… "If I told you just how many times a day I _want_ to ravish you, you will think I am complete pervert."

"I think that anyway," she giggled, making him laugh. "But are you seriously worried about me finding it could ever be too much? Hello? You are talking to the woman who basically begged you to take her on a crowded dance floor! Your _wife,_ by the way! You married a freaking tramp!"

"_And that's why the lady is a tramp,"_ he began to hum, sending Caroline into another round of giggles. He _really _couldn't sing. "Sweetheart, I love your ladylike side as I love everything about you. But I never, and I mean _never,_ want to see that side of you in my bed, and should I ever find it there, I will have to – excuse my French – fuck you senseless until I get my wanton little tramp back."

Her eyes glittering with challenge, she removed his hand from the swell of her breast where it had been tracing languid patterns, crossed her arms and legs properly and put on an innocent smile. "Well, sir, that is no way to address a lady, would you not agree?" she chirped in a high-pitched tone.

She had no idea how he had done it so quickly, but before she could even grasp her next coherent thought, he had removed his denims, her skirt and her panties… and lowered her onto his rigid cock in one fluid movement, her back against his chest. Caroline grabbed the armrests of the chair for support and took him in as deep as she could, a throaty moan escaping her, pulling a responding groan from Klaus.

"Lady or tramp, what's it going to be?" he panted when she leaned against him, feeling his arms coming around her, pressing her to his chest. Closing her eyes, she savoured this moment of total intimacy.

"Lady, of course," she whispered with a smile. _Come on, do it already! Fuck me senseless!_

Without a warning, he had her pinned against the balustrade and stood behind her, not moving, his hands tenderly stroking her back. "Last chance," he murmured with a chuckle.

"Lady," Caroline hissed and cried out when he suddenly slammed into her, his hands grabbing her hips. She stretched out her arms on the balustrade, her upper body on the cool stone, and dissolved in the burning sensation of Klaus taking her, his moans echoing her own. Oh… how she loved the way he slid in and out of her so hot and fast! Then she felt him take her wrists in his hands, pulling her arms back towards him and raising her torso from the balustrade. He kept her arms in his iron grip, using them to pull her close and push her away in harmony with his deep thrusts. _Ohh… damn… this is seriously hothothot!_

"Say it!" he rasped, caught in his own raging desire and hardly able to speak.

"La… lady," she choked out as he released her arms and let his hands sneak between her legs, his fingers skillfully playing with her clit while he continued to pump into her mercilessly. He knew exactly what he was doing… with his hands _and_ his glorious cock. Caroline held on to the balustrade, each of his thrusts bringing her closer to the delicious edge, and she _needed _to tumble into that abyss, _now!_

Then she felt his fingers retreat and grip her hips again. "Use your own hands, my sweet _lady,_" he commanded, and her fingers all but flew to her sex while he continued to take her with all his might. Hearing him moan when he saw her hand slip between her legs, she started to frantically stroke her clit. Oh, damn, she was close! He felt it, too, judging by the way he increased his speed and slammed into her over and over again, driving them both completely wild.

"Say it," he hissed again, "say it, my love. The moment you come for me. Say it!"

And then she exploded around him, shivering and panting, marveling at the sheer strength of her release.

"Tramp," she groaned, "I'm your tramp, Niklaus."

"Mine, and mine alone. As I am yours," he whispered before he could no longer utter a word, drowned by his own orgasm and the overwhelming need for his woman.


	23. The Pope's Present

**Mulțumesc mult România! :)**

**PEM - I am at a total loss for words at your amazing and incredibly comprehensive reviews, and I just can't thank you enough! :)**

**Big thanks again to Marie, Tricia, Ana20, Justine and Brittsmile19, you guys are just wonderful!**

**We'll very slowly be getting into gear again... starting with a discovery today!  
**

**THANK YOU ALL!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

THE POPE'S PRESENT

The next morning, Caroline awoke to find Klaus gone.

In the very same instant, panic descended on her, with coldness spreading all through her body and a feeling of being completely forlorn taking hold of her heart and mind. Her breathing accelerated and her mind began to cloud, so she forced herself to remember what he had told her about controlling the most acute symptoms when she was alone. _Take a very deep breath and hold it. Then exhale very, very slowly between your teeth, counting to twenty. Put your hand on your chest above your heart and apply some light pressure. _Closing her eyes, she did what he had advised and actually felt her breathing settle a little and her stomach calm down. Inhaling again slowly, she gazed around the room and found a little slip of paper on her nightstand. _You are so silly, Caroline!_

**There is something I need to acquire. I do hope to return before you wake. Should that not be the case, will you ****please ****not worry, my darling? Remember: Big Bad Hybrid. Almighty Original. Ruler of the Galaxy. **

**I love you. Deliriously.**

**Niklaus**

She covered her eyes with her hands. How could she have overreacted like this? She couldn't just go ballistic every time he was not there. Shaking off the last remnants of the panic attack, she got up and took a quick shower. The moment she turned off the water, she heard the door. The pang of relief that shook her was almost embarrassing, and deciding not to say anything about it, she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped into the suite.

Klaus was just unloading two large plastic bags on the living room table. He turned around, a tender smile on his face, and flashed over to her, planting a series of soft kisses on her damp shoulder. When he looked up into her eyes, he frowned. _Damn, he always sees _everything!_ How is that even possible!_

"Sorry, my love. I should have woken you when I left, but you were sleeping so peacefully, and I was certain I would be back in time. How bad was it?"

_You're incredible sometimes, reading me like that._ "It was nothing. I was just being stupid for a second. So, what'd you get there?"

"Uh-uh. We are still talking about you. Well?"

Caroline sighed. "It was over in no time. I woke up, you weren't there – reflex reaction. I just did what you told me to do, with the breathing and everything, and it worked perfectly fine. Overreaction, that's all." She saw that he wasn't convinced. "Niklaus, seriously, I'm okay! As you said, it will take me a while to come to terms with what happened, and once I do, it will not happen again. In the meantime, I'll just have to live with it."

Kissing her eyes, he mumbled, "I am so sorry. I will wake you next time, I give you my word."

She hugged him for an instant and nodded. "What's in the bags?"

"I have to spend some time inside the Vatican, and you will have to spend some time in a church without anyone bothering you. We might therefore want to adapt our attire to the surroundings. When in Rome…" he chuckled, handing her one of the bags. Curiously, Caroline pulled the garment from it.

It was a nun's habit.

With an incredulous gasp, she looked up at Klaus who was grinning rather smugly. "No one will disturb you at prayer, my love, and even less so wearing this."

"I can't wear this! I mean… I'm a vampire! Isn't this some sort of, I don't know, blasphemy?"

"It is just a garment. Fabric. Believe me, there have been many who habitually wore a robe like this and committed far greater heresy." He pointed at the habit. "Anyone asks, which I doubt, you are a Cistercian from Crozet in Virginia, which is one of only four Cistercian convents in the U.S. If anyone gets to be too curious, compel them. But whatever you do, stay in the Basilica and do not wander off on your own. I will come and find you there once I am done."

Skeptically, Caroline eyed the garment. "What will you wear?" she asked, pointing at the second bag. Klaus pulled out a classic black cassock as worn by Catholic priests, followed by a white collar. She shook her head in amusement and grabbed the habit, disappearing in the bathroom.

When she returned a few minutes later, Klaus had undergone a complete transformation. Caroline gaped at him open-mouthed, pulling a delighted chuckle from him. "Okay, Father de Bricassart," she giggled, "apart from the fact that you would have been beyond perfect for the Thornbirds, why a simple priest? Why not a cardinal, wouldn't that be easier? And more befitting your self-proclaimed status as Ruler of the Galaxy?"

He grinned, looking her over. "Cardinals can be compared to celebrities. There aren't that many of them, and especially here in Rome, let alone Vatican City, everyone knows who they are. People would immediately suspect me to be the impostor that I am. But no one really pays that much attention to a lowly priest. Which reminds me…" he dashed into the bathroom, and Caroline began to fumble with the veil, turning it back and forth while trying to figure out how to put it on. When she looked up at hearing Klaus emerge from the bathroom, her breath caught at seeing him completely clean-shaven. It wasn't something she had really seen before – he had always sported some degree of stubble. _He looks like a freaking model! _

"Like what you see?" he chuckled, interpreting her reaction correctly.

Running a hand over his smooth face, she nodded, smiling. "I take it not too many priests have discovered the fashionable stubble yet?"

"I haven't been here in a while, but last time I checked, it was either a full-grown beard or a flawless face, and even I find it difficult to grow a beard in so short a time. So, do you prefer this to the stubble, then?"

She considered for a moment. "Why don't you give me a few days to decide? How about you shave for a week, and then I'll tell you. I like both, but I want to get used to you looking like this before I finally make up my mind."

"Done. Need some help with that?" he asked, gesturing towards the veil in her hands.

"You know how to… no, never mind. I don't want to know."

He smirked and reached for the veil. "But it's an interesting story. You see, there was this nun, back in the seventeen hundreds, who had caught a fancy…"

Caroline covered her ears and began to chant, "I'm not listening! I'm not listening!" She could feel him laugh while he expertly fastened the veil, tucking every little strand of her hair underneath it. When he was done, he took a step back and tilted his head.

"I am having rather dirty thoughts involving role play right now, my love," he chuckled and pointed towards the mirror. Caroline blushed furiously and went to look at herself. _Ugh! Is that me? _Not a trace of her hair was visible, and her face was entirely framed by the veil, just as no curve of her body was discernible under the black habit. She gazed at Klaus who had stepped up behind her. The white collar covered his Signum completely, and he did look like a priest. A little too handsome, probably, but then she was sure there were good-looking clergymen to be found in the Vatican. She really needed to stop staring at him, it was ridiculous. They were married, and she couldn't drool like that over her own husband, could she? _I'm starting to find the role play thing rather appealing…_

Klaus turned her around and brushed his fingers along the rim of the veil. "We will go to St. Peter's Basilica together. You will stay there. Walk around, look at everything, but try not to talk to too many people. I will enter the Vatican through a back passageway, compelling my way to the Pope's private offices. We will access his exclusive section of the Secret Archives where I will get the manuscript. As soon as I have it, I will return for you. Do not leave, is that understood?" he urged, his hand cupping her face now.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine. Just don't forget to pick me up."

With a mischievous grin, he raised an eyebrow. "If I do, there is a Cistercian convent right around the corner…"

"You will move your Original hardbody back to your wife on the direct route, Father Mikaelson, have I made myself abundantly clear?" she commanded imperiously, as usual not quite able to suppress a giggle.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her longingly.

"And what would be my motivation to do that?" he purred, running his lips across her cheeks.

Caroline took his face in her hands, caressing the soft skin with her thumbs. "The fact that your wife loves you more than she ever thought possible. The fact that she needs you at her side to be whole. The fact that she wants to make you as sublimely happy as she is with you. Take your pick."

He lowered his forehead to hers and closed his eyes without saying a word.

* * *

No one took any notice of them, but then Klaus had already known that. It was not the first time he had worn the cloth of a priest, and it was a daily occurrence to encounter clergymen, nuns and monks here in Rome.

He suppressed a smile at how Caroline was trying very hard not to stare at the magnificent buildings that made Vatican City. Even for someone as far removed from religion as he was, it never ceased to be a sight to behold. Political and religious rulers throughout history had always built to intimidate and awe the masses, and Vatican City was a textbook example of that kind of architecture. There was one other church in Aparecida, Brazil, that rivaled St. Peter's in sheer size, but it was not the dimensions, the rich ornaments, the priceless works of art or the surrounding buildings that made it and the entire Vatican so imposing. No, it was the knowledge that for centuries, this had been the true seat of power on the planet, controlling the fates of billions of people, crowning and deposing of kings and emperors, inciting wars and battles, sending thousands on crusades and missions to spread its word in the remotest of wildernesses.

Even during his distant human days, the Church had never meant anything to Klaus. He was a full-fledged hedonist, a true epicurean who lived for and through his senses and had never found any sort of belief, mysticism or spirituality in himself. Yes, the supernatural existed, but it was not ethereal or sacred to him. It was a fact of life, tangible and real. There had not been a single incident in his one thousand years that had led him to believe in the existence of a higher power, although he had always enjoyed the myths and legends about the old Norse Gods. His instinctive reaction to any form of belief had only ever been disdain – to him, those who truly believed in whatever deity were nothing but naïve, gullible beings. But sometimes, in very isolated moments, there had been envy in his heart. How much easier would his life have been if on certain occasions, he could have just sat back and told himself that all would be well in the end because some higher power would see to it? And if it didn't happen in this life, then most definitely in the next? He had always admired whoever it was that had come up with this particular idea. _Do not fret, peasant, you will have to suffer now, but if you serve your earthly lords without complaint, you will be richly rewarded in your afterlife!_ The marketing concept was nothing short of genius to him.

They were entering the Basilica now, and Klaus noticed Caroline missing a step out of sheer incredulity at the awe-inspiring interior of the ancient dome. The church was filled with Romans, tourists, priests and nuns.

"There will be a mass in ten minutes," he murmured, pointing at a notice board to their right. "You might want to sit in the background. Any priest or other clerical staff approach you, close your eyes and look like you are praying intensely." He paused, wishing he could take her in his arms or at least kiss her hand. "I won't be long." Turning to leave, he heard her subdued whisper.

"Please be careful, okay?"

Fighting down the urge to smile like the Cheshire Cat at the lovely feeling of someone worrying about him so much, he just nodded and breathed, "Amo te super omnia ex tota anima mea, ex toto corde meo, ex totis viribus meis." Looking down at her, he couldn't help a light smile after all. "Translation upon my return."

With one more look at her lovely face, he made his way towards the small, inconspicuous door that led to the Sistine Chapel and from there, through a labyrinth of aisles, staircases, halls and offices, to the Papal Apartments where the Pope's private study was located. A Swiss Guard was watching the door, eyeing Klaus suspiciously as he approached. His pupils dilated, and in less than two seconds, the man stepped aside and let him pass. With a sigh, he wished he had some more time to once more admire Michelangelo's work, but not today. He crossed the Chapel, compelling another Swiss Guard shielding the door to the non-public areas of the Vatican.

He remembered how the place had looked back in the fifteenth century, when Pope Nicholas V finally began to rebuild Old St. Peter's that had been short of collapsing at the time. Kol had made a remark on how ironic it would be should the Lord decide to bring down Christendom's largest house of worship over the heads of so many fierce believers. A few years later, when the construction on New St. Peter's had begun, he had heard Rebekah whisper to Elijah that maybe God had heard Kol that day, making certain that something like this would never happen. His baby sister had firmly believed in God as a human, and at times, Klaus had the sneaking suspicion she had never quite given up on it.

Fifteen minutes later, he had compelled his way to the Pope's private secretary, a surprisingly young and rather worldly looking priest who, as Klaus had been reliably informed, was intelligent, well-read and unwaveringly loyal to His Holiness. All qualities he could appreciate. The secretary rose from his desk, gazing at him evenly.

"How can I help you, Father?" he inquired with a melodious, pleasant voice.

Klaus' dilated pupils sunk into the man's eyes. "You will allow me access to His Holiness. He and I will leave together for a short while. You will not be surprised, you will not question any of what either His Holiness or I do or say and you will not follow us. You will turn away anyone who wants to speak to the Pope until after I have left, explaining to them that His Holiness will spend some time in prayer and contemplation. You will forget me and everything that happened the minute I leave. You will not notify anyone of my presence, not now, not at any point in time."

The secretary nodded and turned to open a door behind him. Stepping into the room, he lowered his head and gestured towards Klaus. "Holy Father, your next visitor has arrived." Without another word, he left the room and closed the large wooden door.

Flashing towards the pontiff, Klaus immediately began to speak. "You will accompany me to your private Archives without questioning me or my motives. Once there, I will retrieve a document of my property. You will then return to your chambers without any knowledge or memory of me or the fact we have ever met. You will also not remember the document. Nothing I do or say will alarm, surprise or unsettle you, and you will not alert anyone of my presence. Should someone question who I am, you will inform them that I am a humble priest from Scotland who has discovered a number of ancient papal decrees and has brought them to your attention."

The Pope inclined his head. "Shall we proceed to the Archives, then, my son?" he suggested and Klaus nodded, stepping aside to let him lead the way. Once they had started walking, he folded his hands and lowered his head in what he knew was a very convincing display of humbleness, always remaining one step behind the pontiff. He noticed some fleeting, curious glances in their direction, but only very few people would ever question the Holy Father, and if the Pope wished to be in the company of a lowly priest, then so be it.

"Tell me, my son, how did you happen across said writings?" he inquired of Klaus, looking at him with mild curiosity. The Original began to improvise a story on how a rich widower, a member of his parish, had recently passed away and bestowed all his worldly goods on the Catholic Church. Among his belongings, the papal decrees had been found, as well as some other ancient writings.

When they arrived at the Pope's private section of the Secret Archives, Klaus compelled the two Swiss Guards and let the pontiff unlock the doors. Once inside, he flashed to the very back of the large, dimly lit library. Above the last shelf in the tenth row there was a small hidden casket, embedded in the wall, barely discernible to those who did not explicitly look for it. Klaus pressed a button concealed behind some ancient leather tomes, and the casket snapped open. With a subdued sigh of relief, he grabbed the document and shut the casket, jumping down from the shelf and hiding the manuscript inside his cassock. When he returned to join the Pope, he found him holding what seemed to be some very ancient papyrus rolls, apparently preserved in plastic.

"Do you read Aramaic, my son?" he asked.

Klaus nodded. "Yes, Holy Father, I do indeed."

"A rare ability these days." He handed over the rolls and Klaus took them, puzzled at the brief instant of _something _that seemed to rush through the air. "I have come in possession of this only a few months ago. The monk who gave the papyrus rolls to me was a recluse from Poland who had been told that their contents made no sense to anyone, but they had been written by Lucifer himself. I confess to not have taken him seriously and I have never had the opportunity to further investigate the papyrus, nor did I want to burden any of our Aramaic-speaking brothers in the Archives if the content is mere fantasy. Can you make any sense of it?"

He did have neither the time nor the inclination to busy himself with a translation right now, but his curiosity was admittedly piqued. Placing the first papyrus on a nearby table, he switched on the reading lamp and scanned the text. This was ancient, _very_ ancient. It took him a moment to get the feel for the antique writing technique and the somewhat unusual syntax, but after some repositioning of words in his mind, he began to see clearer and started translating in his head. After three sentences, he stopped abruptly and straightened, his pupils dilating.

"Who was the monk who gave this to you, and where exactly was he from?"

"He was a Carthusian from Poland, named Mariusz, living the life of a recluse near Gdansk, in a little town called Morag."

"Who gave it to him?"

"He said it was an old woman on her deathbed whom he had given the Last Rites. She died before she could tell him more about the provenance of the rolls."

"Is the monk still alive?"

"To my knowledge, yes. He came to see me during a public audience and showed me the papyrus. I met with him privately after that. It was about three months ago. He was an elderly man, but not old, so I assume he is still alive."

Klaus gathered the rolls and hid them under his cassock, together with the document. "You will not remember anything about these papyrus rolls or the man who gave them to you. You will not remember that I took them with me."

* * *

Coincidence. To Klaus, it was merely the word everyone used when they were not able to see the workings and connections behind an event. And there was always something behind everything.

How much of a coincidence could this be? The answer was as simple as it was unsettling. It wasn't. But what was the meaning of this? The monk who had been given the papyrus by a dying woman and had chosen to hand them to the Pope of all people for safekeeping. And today, on the very day Klaus had come to retrieve the Original Grimoire, the pontiff, seemingly out of the blue, had put them in his hands. If there was anything this was not, it was a twist of fate. Someone _wanted_ him to have this. Which implied that someone was in the know about the Original Grimoire and, even worse, the fact that Klaus had hidden it here.

His mind was reeling when he made his way back to the Basilica. The thought of someone manipulating him or being at eye level with his moves was utterly abhorrent to him. It made him angry and also a little nervous. But he would need to stop pouting and begin to focus. First and foremost, he would translate the papyrus, which was a relatively simple task, followed by a brief journey to Morag in Poland. A conversation with the monk in question was in order. Klaus was relatively certain the friar had not told the Pope everything he knew, and if whatever plan he would devise was to be successful, it was imperative to shed light on every component of the equation. His instincts protested at this change of plans, screaming at him to find Kol ahead of everything else, but he had to know what and who he was dealing with. This might even help to return him to his rightful spot – one step ahead.

Entering the Basilica, his eyes scanned the large hall, making him frown when they came up with no sign of her among the crowds. With lightning speed, he focused on every single nun he could detect. Nothing. Forcing himself to proceed at a human pace, it took him five minutes to walk the entire Basilica before he moved on to the crypt where finally, he spotted her familiar figure standing on the marble floors above the necropolis that was said to contain the remains of Saint Peter himself, hands folded, head bowed. His stomach clenched at the sight of her and once more, he reminded himself of how he would need to work on not losing his head each time he did not immediately find her where she was expected to be. He took an audible breath to alert her of his presence. When she turned around and saw him standing there, her whole face lit up. She did not even smile, but the tension left her shoulders, her features relaxed and her eyes filled with relief and warmth. It was in moments like this that Klaus had to fight the ridiculous impulse to just kneel before her and ask her to marry him again.

As no one was paying any attention to them, he gave her a quick but heartfelt smile and motioned towards the stairs. Caroline didn't say a word, just nodding and following him up into the Basilica and further outside. When they were just crossing St. Peter's Square, she murmured, "Any problems?"

"Yes and no. I will tell you once we get back."

They were silent until they had reached their suite. The second Klaus closed the door, Caroline tossed away the veil and jumped into his arms. He pressed her to him, squeezing her tightly, and covered her sweet, soft lips with his own.

"First of all," she whispered when he released her mouth long enough, "translation."

He turned them around so he could push her back against the door to have his hands free. Tenderly caressing her shoulders and her neck, he placed a kiss right below her earlobe.

"I love you more than anything, with my whole soul, with my whole heart and with all my strength. That is what I said to you earlier, my darling." He saw her swallow. Then she put her hand over his heart and closed her eyes. Klaus knew she needed reassurance after their separation. She had needed it before, as had he, but ever since they had been apart, he understood that she had to be reminded that he was here, with her, and that nothing would ever change that again. He, too, still felt every minute without her in his bones, and this morning had shown him that Caroline was even worse off. He would give her everything she needed, tell her how much she meant to him as often as he could until she told him to stop.

"Let me just change before you tell me what happened," she said when she finally disentangled her legs from around his waist. A couple of minutes later, they were both back in their regular clothes and moved to sit on the terrace. Klaus was carrying his manuscript and the plastic-wrapped papyrus rolls.

"Everything went smoothly, as expected," he began when they sat across from each other. "This is the document I told you about, the Original Grimoire." He pointed at a leather-bound volume.

"So you really saw the Pope?" Caroline asked excitedly, not quite able to help the awe that sneaked into her voice.

Klaus smiled, reminding himself that she was not yet used to interact with rulers, aristocrats and the rich and famous the way he was. "I did indeed. Which was when things started to get interesting. We went into his Archives where I retrieved the manuscript from its hiding place. When I returned to the pontiff, who was waiting for me, he handed me this," he gestured at the papyrus, "and asked me whether I read Aramaic." Klaus repeated his conversation with and compulsion of the Pope to her.

"What does it say?" Caroline took the ancient document carefully, running a finger along the first line of text. "I couldn't even tell where one word ends and the next one starts."

He came to sit beside her, putting the scroll down on the table and taking a sip of the Tonic Water he had brought from the mini bar. "I'll try to put it into more or less understandable language."

**The Alephs' flux, without its source,**

**Shall heal, destroy and alter life.**

**With golden rose in bloom and force,**

**It shall become the twilight's knife.**

**The sibyl's hand, so lily-white,**

**Will wield the blade from dark to light.**

After that first paragraph, he read on silently for a long while, nodding every now and then, until he finally looked up again. "There is an additional instruction connected to this first paragraph. The rest of it is the exact same text as the Original Grimoire. The first six lines I read to you plus instruction are the only difference." He paused. "I believe we can safely assume that this is in fact _the_ original document, and this first paragraph it tells us something so fundamental that it has been omitted from all copies and transcripts over the centuries, including mine. There must have been more than one copy after all."

"Repeat it to me again."

When Klaus had done as she asked, she got up from her chair and began to pace the terrace. "The first part is relatively easy," she mused, and Klaus sat back to watch her, delighting in how she was immediately up to the task of finding out the meaning behind the text. "The Aleph – alpha, that's you, obviously, the flux being your blood. The source of it – your heart, which is no longer beating, therefore it is without its source. Heal – werewolf bites. Destroy – well, duh! Alter life – that's you creating the Hybrids. But… golden rose in bloom and force? And the twilight's knife? I can't imagine this is about the Volturi," she grinned.

He chuckled. His girl was good. "One correction, a couple of additions. My flux is not without its source, as I hope you may have noticed by now. This is meant in the more spiritual sense of the word. Love. So as long as my blood was not enriched with love, so to speak, it was powerful and able to do all the things you mentioned. However, once I truly love and this love reaches its full bloom, my blood will develop into something… more. The golden rose refers to our Signum – the instant it turns golden, my blood becomes a weapon. A knife to destroy something as fundamental as the twilight. And in the supernatural cosmos, there is only one twilight, and I am not speaking of Forks, Washington. One zone that is figuratively hovering between light and darkness, nestled between two worlds."

Klaus paused to look at her intently, giving her time to make the deduction.

"Oh my God!" Caroline gasped when realization hit her very suddenly and without a warning." The… the Other Side! Once our bond reaches the peak of its strength, your blood becomes so powerful it can actually destroy the Other Side?"

"So it would seem. The sibyl refers to a witch who will have to perform the required spell with my blood, and as it says _the _sibyl as opposed to _a _sibyl, I suspect the text speaks not of any witch but an Original one. Furthermore, the reference to the lily-white tells us that said witch needs to be virginal. Now _that_ is going to be a search for the needle in the haystack. But to be perfectly honest, I have not yet made up my mind whether the destruction of the Other Side is good or bad."

"How do you know that this is actually what it means? I thought you first saw this like an hour ago."

Inclining his head, he gave her a smile. "Look at how you immediately uncovered the meaning behind the first part of the paragraph. And you have to take into account that I had a little more practice over the years when it comes to interpretation and deciphering of old writings, codes and riddles, apart from the fact that it matches the style of the remaining Original Grimoire. Although this one is really rather simple. And it does make sense, would you not agree, my love? We have been asking ourselves for a while what the changes in colour of our Signum mean, and here we have the answer. My blood grows more powerful with every new colour, which incidentally explains how you could stay strong for such a long time after you left – the night before that, you fed from me, remember? The Signum was purple then, so my blood had already strengthened considerably."

He could hear the trepidation in her voice when she replied, "So my love makes you even more dangerous?"

"No, sweetheart, of course not. First of all, what your love makes me is unbelievably happy. And how could that be dangerous or bad?" She smiled a little, still wary. "What happens to my blood does not change who I am at all. It does not suddenly turn me into more of Mr. Hyde, Caligula or whatever else I am regularly being called. The only thing that has changed is the fact that at some point, my blood could be used to abolish the Other Side. A charming little gathering of those who at some stage during their lives have come into contact with Black Magic in some shape or form. Black witches and warlocks, vampires and werewolves, even a few humans who have cooperated with or used the services of a Black magician. Esther… Mikael… Prelati… It is a very dark place, darker even than my twisted soul." He paused, and his eyes clouded. "I have seen a small section of it once, for a few moments."

Caroline almost choked on the Tonic she had just taken out of his hand to drown the shock that had come with all the new information. "What? How could that even be possible?"

"It was many centuries ago. There was a witch back in Romania whom I had done a favour in killing one of her worst enemies. It was not actually for her that I had done it, but she was nonetheless grateful. However, she wanted to ascertain that her enemy was indeed stuck on the Other Side, and just out of curiosity, I asked her what the place actually looked like. She offered to let me see for myself. It is truly not where you want to spend eternity, my darling. They can see quite a few of the things that happen on our plane – those related to their loved ones, their enemies, everyone who has ever played a significant role in their lives – without any chance at interfering. Unless someone on this side helps them. They have a certain corporeity, they can suffer, the can feel. But they cannot move on. Almost all feelings are negative by nature, with glee and gloating being the only things remotely reminiscent of positive emotions. The most prevailing feelings are hate, sadness, hopelessness, boredom and fear. The Other Side consists mainly of shadows. There actually is a painting called 'Christian and Faithfull in the Grounds of Giant Despair' by Albert Goodwin which when I first laid eyes on it, made me wonder whether he had seen the Other Side himself. Here," he said, pulling out his phone, typing in some commands and handing it to her.

She looked at it for a long time. There was darkness, haziness, and the distant ruins of what was probably Jericho or something of the sort could hardly be distinguished from the skies and smoke. It was an image of utter loneliness. Klaus had hated that painting on sight, but it was exactly how he remembered what little he had seen of the Other Side, just without the flash of blue skies Goodwin's painting showed.

"Well," she murmured after a while, returning the phone, "look at the painting, Niklaus. What do you see?"

Puzzled, he gazed down at the picture, then back at her. "What do you mean?"

"Just tell me what you see."

"All right. Loneliness. Despair. Darkness. Shadows. Ruins. No sign of life. No sense. No meaning."

Now she gave him a brief smile. "Maybe this sounds stupid to you, but I have a feeling that the moment will come when you will be the one to make a decision on the fate of the Other Side, so you should ask yourself if the world does or doesn't need such a place."

He had always known she was not just another pretty face. "That is probably the wisest thing anyone has said to me in quite a while," he nodded, delighting at her light blush. She still was not used to being complimented for her keen mind, and he found it oddly endearing.

"Then again, there is always a third option."

"Which is?" he inquired curiously.

"Not to strengthen our bond any further," she whispered, and it sent a flash of hurt through him to hear how small her voice sounded at the thought.

He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Come here, my love." Caroline got up from her chair and nestled on his lap, her face immediately hidden in the curve of his shoulder. Klaus knew it was her favourite spot, and every time she buried herself in the crook of his neck like this, a wave of protectiveness washed over him.

"Caroline, I do not believe there is anything we can do to impede that. Even our separation has done nothing to weaken our connection, on the contrary. But even more importantly – is that what you want? What you truly want?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. I can't imagine how our bond can get any stronger than it is now, but I want it to. I want _everything_ from you, Niklaus, every single bit you are able to give," she said fiercely, sending a shiver down his spine. She may not have got used to any admiration of her intellect, but he most definitely still could not get over the wonder of being chosen, claimed, _owned_ like this. "But," she began, making him put a finger on her lips.

"This is not relative, my sweet little one. It is absolute. There has been no going back for either of us ever since the night you first told me you loved me. Maybe even before that. We are in this together, and whatever awaits us, we will face it together. Even if you like to forget that at times."

"Ha ha," she hissed, "very funny. But I am not concerned about you and me facing things. What if this affects others? Your blood will be strong enough to bring down an entire world, or demi-world, or whatever the Other Side is. What if, apart from that, people get hurt?"

Klaus placed a tender kiss on her hair and gathered her closer. "I keep forgetting that you are not the egomaniac I am. As long as I am with you, I couldn't care less about the rest of the world."

"The rest of the world includes our family."

He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "Touché. But it is of no use to panic over something we do not even know whether we will actually need to panic over. We have to find out more about the provenance of this document and subsequently about who the master mind behind this is."

"Poland, then?"

"Poland."


	24. Back to the Roots

**Dziękuję bardzo Polska! :)**

**As always, a very VERY heartfelt thanks to Marie, Aq, EMS, Ana20 and Justine for your guest reviews! So wonderful, as always! And a special thanks to Patie today - so good to read from you again! :)  
**

**An unexpected encounter at the end of today's chapter... ;)**

**Happy Sunday to you all! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

BACK TO THE ROOTS

The Warmia-Mazury province in northeastern Poland was a very beautiful stretch of land. It was not as spectacular as Norway or Patagonia, but there was something very solid, pure and grounded about it. The entire region boasted over two thousand lakes, many old fortifications and a very large fresh water lagoon right on the Baltic Sea called Zalew Wiślany, the Vistula Lagoon, cut in half by the Polish-Russian border.

The drive from Gdańsk, where they had flown on a private plane Klaus had organized in Rome, to Elbląg where they would be staying while in the area, was another history lesson, and Caroline never ceased to marvel at how she loved hearing and learning about the world, especially places and events she had known very little about before. Klaus explained that they were now in what had once been the German province of East Prussia. Towards the end of World War II, the Russians had invaded the lands, and hundreds of thousands of Germans fled west in the middle of a grueling winter, most of them on foot. At some point, the overland route was blocked off by the Russians, and a great number of fugitives tried to make their way across the frozen Baltic Sea. An estimated three hundred thousand people died on the lam. After Germany had finally lost the war, East Prussia had been divided between Poland and Russia.

But not matter who had ever inhabited this territory, Klaus pointed out, whether they were Germans, Poles or Russians, they were hard-working, down-to-earth people who had learned to weather any storm and make the most of the rough sweep of land they called their home. Caroline gazed out of the window while he spoke. They were driving along a canopy road now, which was apparently very typical for the area, and what she saw beyond the seasoned trees was getting to her in a peculiar way. There were very dark forests, crystalline lakes, endless fields, rolling hills and a sky so high it seemed a million miles away. They drove through little villages that seemed to have been forgotten by time. It was not a fairy tale landscape at all, it was strong and real. Caroline pressed a hand to her stomach. _Butterflies._ She was feeling the butterflies swirling softly inside her! Trying to identify what was going on, she focused on the scenery again, not noticing that Klaus had fallen silent as well.

When they passed yet another lake, she asked him to stop the car. Puzzled, he looked at her and pulled over. Hesitantly, Caroline opened the door and stepped outside, crossing the narrow road and walking towards the water at human speed. To her left and right, the forest began. Tall, dark firs swallowed the sunlight, casting their shadows on the pristine waters of the little lake which was framed by reed. The air was crisp, cold and clear. Very slowly, she made her way along the shore, letting her hands brush the reed, her eyes absorbing her surroundings. She felt weird. Not in a supernatural, but in a completely human way. _What is this?_ There was a sudden yearning inside her, a deeply buried longing she didn't understand, and at the same time, she felt strangely anxious. It was like something was drawing her towards this land while also pushing her away.

After a few hundred yards, she halted at a little open space covered in grass and reed and looked out at the water for a moment before kneeling and touching the ground. She had no idea what she was doing or why she was doing it, but there was a sudden urge inside her to touch the earth, to feel this land. _I know I'm crazy, but what the heck am I doing in the middle of Poland, touching the ground like Robin Hood when he returned from the Crusades? _

Klaus had followed her and was now standing a few yards away, watching her very intently. He didn't seem surprised or astonished, but then there was little that truly bewildered him. Caroline closed her eyes and grabbed a handful of earth, letting it run through her fingers, inhaling the fresh country air. She heard Klaus sit down, but she didn't want to open her eyes just yet. Her hands swished over the grass now, and she took another couple of minutes to entirely focus on her senses. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes and found Klaus looking out at the lake, his fingers absently plucking some grass.

"I'm feeling strange," she confessed in a low voice. "There is something about this place… not supernatural, and also not the same kind of magic I experienced in Patagonia. It's very different. I can't even say if it's a good or a bad feeling. Like a mixture between homesickness and reluctance, like wanting nothing more than to stay and at the same time desperately waiting for the moment to leave. Okay, this sounds crazy even to me. But I have no idea what this is!"

Klaus was still gazing at the water. Then he slowly turned his head, and when his eyes met hers, she saw longing in them. Not his yearning for her, no, this was something else. It looked like he felt it, too. His voice was very quiet when he finally spoke.

"Roots, Caroline. That is how you feel when you first encounter them."

_Roots? He means that… that this is where I come from? Where the origins of my family are? But how can I feel this so distinctly? This has nothing to do with being a vampire, so what makes me so receptive?_

"What makes you think that?" she asked, a little dazed.

"Many centuries ago, I felt it myself. When I first set foot on the grounds that had been home to my mother's family for as long as anyone cared to remember. I reacted just like you now, even though I had been born in the very same place than you, an ocean away. And what I find most interesting about this is that the village in question is located not three hours from here, in what is now Russia. It would seem part of our roots are quite similar," he added with a gentle smile.

Caroline stared at him, open-mouthed. Then she shook her head as if to chase away the numbness. "What is the name of the village?" she whispered, trying to digest what he was saying.

He chuckled at her complete astonishment. "It is called Bogatovo these days. Before, ever since its official foundation in the thirteen hundreds, it was called Rositten. And before that, when it was just a little dwelling with no official name, the inhabiting families had named it Gruoni Houc, which means Green Hill in Old High German. It is located near what is now Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave that was formerly known as Königsberg, or Twangste, as it was called during the times my family lived there. What is your mother's maiden name?"

"George. Why?"

"We can safely assume that your father is of Scottish descent, which is where the name of Forbes originates from. If you are interested, and once we have some more time on our hands, we can attempt to trace your ancestry in more detail. Having said that, the name of George, while basically Greek, has many variances, one of them being Jura, a very common name back in East Prussia. 'George' meant 'rural worker' in ancient Greek. However, the name of Jura had two meanings in this part of the world – on one hand, it described a person living by the sea and on the other, it was the name for a Goddess of Amber. Both very fitting, if I may add," he smiled and gestured around them. "You may never have been here before, but some part of you recognizes this land, and as your emotions are heightened, you sense it more acutely than a human would. This is where your mother's family's roots are. This is where you come from, my love."

Her head was spinning, but something inside her accepted the simple truth of what he had just said. She knew it. She _felt_ it. Grabbing another handful of soil, she looked at him with wide eyes, shaking her head in wonder. From the very start, it had always been Klaus who had shown her who she really was, and now he had done it again, although in a different way.

"So I am half Polish, half Scottish," she mused, fleetingly wondering why she had never asked her parents for more details on her heritage.

"Well, if we assume your mother's family left long before this area became Poland, as you would probably know if they had come to the U.S. way after World War II, then for the sake of historical accuracy, we would have to say you are half German, half Scottish," he chuckled.

"Has this region always been German before it became Polish?" Caroline asked, vowing to herself that as soon as possible, she would dive into every history book she could get her hands on to find out more about Poland's, East Prussia's and Scotland's history.

"It has been Prussia – Germany, if you will – since around 1230. Before that, it was inhabited by what are called the Old Prussians, a Baltic people. So if we want to make it independent from historic or modern nations, your family simply were from the Baltic. It is a strange feeling, isn't it? To first see the land of your ancestors?"

She nodded, looking down at the earth in her hand. "I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I have never really asked my parents what my family's history is. How can I not know where my grandparents came from? All I ever cared about was that they were there, and I never gave a second thought to the fact that they had a history themselves, a childhood, maybe even here."

In a flash, he moved to sit behind her, pulling her back against his chest and wrapping his arms around her. Caroline leaned into him with a contented sigh, her arms covering his. "Sweetheart, you are barely twenty years old. From what I have seen over the centuries, it is very rare that someone begins to take an interest in their family history that early. It usually comes later in life, if at all. When I was human, and you remember I became a vampire at age twenty-six, I never gave a damn about where my family came from. I don't recall really digging into that topic for another couple of centuries, to be perfectly honest."

Caroline nodded, letting her thoughts wander again. The weird feeling was still there, but she also felt a strange kind of excitement, not unlike the one that came with finding a new friend, knowing that something good and significant had entered one's life. Poland. East Prussia. The Baltic. This land had seen so much change over the centuries, and yet it was still there, parts of it, like the one they were contemplating now, looking just the way they must have a thousand years ago. She had never considered herself anything but an American, and it would always be her country, but something was blossoming inside her. The knowledge that she was a citizen of the world, that so many parts of it made her who she was. Now curiosity hit her – how did Klaus feel about that? He had been born in Mystic Falls and he always returned there for some time over the years, but was there a country he felt truly attached to?

"If someone was to ask you where you are from, what would you say?" she inquired, caressing his hands with hers and closing her eyes at feeling him softly kiss her hair. _I will never get enough of that. _

"That is a very good question, my love. I have never developed a sense of nationality. I was born in what was to become the U.S. at some point, but back then, it was nothing but a wilderness, relatively untouched by civilization. It was as far from a nation as it could have been. Later on, I have lived in very many countries, and as a consequence of being eternally on the run from Mikael, I never had the chance to strike roots anywhere. I would probably call myself a cosmopolitan," he explained.

"Do you miss it? Having roots, I mean?" Caroline asked, not sure if he she had interpreted the tone of his voice correctly.

He was silent for a while before he answered. "Yes and no. I always wanted to have a place to return to, a center point, so to speak. But I could not be tied down to one single location forever. I have become a nomad over the years, and I have never been quite able to understand when someone refused to leave their home and discover a different perspective on life at least for some time. Maybe I am simply too uprooted to appreciate the element of permanence when it comes to geography. I consider the definition of 'home' to be something more abstract, more metaphysical. Apart from that, you know that I have found my home, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with a country, a town or a house." His arms tightened around her, and Caroline turned her head to look at him.

Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her, making her close her eyes and lift her arms behind her to gently touch the nape of his neck, softly stroking his skin and deeply enjoying how he sighed into their kisses. His hands had slipped under her shirt, and he was caressing her waist and her belly with feather-light touches. For a moment, Caroline toyed with the idea of simply seducing him right here, having him make love to her for hours in the middle of this lovely piece of nature. It felt… _right_ in some weird way, and she decided just not to overanalyze why it did. There was probably not much seduction required anyway, judging by the way his tongue became ever more demanding. But they needed to find that monk quickly. Klaus was uneasy about Kol, and Caroline knew he wanted to return sooner rather than later to resolve the situation back in New Orleans. _Still, I want a little taste of my man right now, right here! Quick, hot and dirty! And I don't freaking care if that makes me a pervert or superficial or whatever._

Before Klaus could even react, she had whirled around and unzipped his denims, pulling them down just far enough to free his already rock-hard cock from its confinement. At the very same instant, her lips covered the tip of his length, gently sucking him into her mouth a couple of inches and swirling her tongue around him. She felt him twitch, and a deep, throaty moan escaped him, which made her almost mewl against his velvety skin. Her tongue curled and swished and flicked while her hand steadily pumped him at the same time. _Oh, keep moaning like that! I just love it like crazy!_

"Caroline… you are… driving me… insane," he rasped, panting and staring down at her, his eyes dark with desire, "don't stop! Please… ah, yes… yes!" he cried when she increased her speed, licking and sucking his cock with such a wild desire that she had the distinct feeling it drove her almost as mad as him. She felt his hands in her hair, not pushing her down but gripping her fiercely while his head fell back as he succumbed to ecstasy. A few seconds later, she felt his back arch forward and he came in beautiful, untamed abandon, fearlessly putting himself at her mercy and letting her dominate him completely. _My Niklaus… so incredibly seductive, even when he is the one being seduced!_

His eyes were clouded when he opened them to look at her, watching her gently kissing his length and letting her hands run over his waist.

"Gods, my angel, that was beyond glorious." He bent down and pulled her to him, covering her face with kisses.

Caroline smiled and snuggled into his chest, basking in the afterglow of his orgasm almost as much as he did. The she suddenly felt herself lifted and gently lowered to the ground. Ignoring the strong rush of desire that coursed through her, she whispered, "Niklaus, we have to go and find that monk. We can't stay here forever."

He chuckled as he swiftly removed her pants and made her gasp as his finger traced the hem of her panties, slipping under the elastic every now and then. "If you believe I will let you get away just like that, you are sadly mistaken."

With another gasp at feeling her panties gone, she tried to protest, but her body was already betraying her, screaming at him to claim it, with every pore and every inch of skin. "Weren't you the one who said something about it not being a quid pro quo? Back at the North Cape?" she managed to growl.

Now his voice became so dark and sensual it made her shiver. "That does not work both ways, my beautiful, adorable love. For every time you make me come, I will have you climax at least twice. No whining, you signed up for this when you married me."

"I can't… remember… anything… about that," she managed with something between a giggle and a hiss, a groan escaping her when she felt his tongue taste her thoroughly.

"Should have paid attention. Now," he purred against her sensitive flesh, "give me twenty seconds for the first of two."

"Show-off," was all she could choke out before he put his threat into action.

_That demon actually… ohh… did it!_

* * *

They checked into a country hotel near Elbląg, close to the Vistula Lagoon. With a smirk, Klaus suggested that being part German, she also learn the old German names, chuckling inconspicuously as she struggled with the pronunciation of 'Frisches Haff', which was what the Lagoon had been called in German. Elbląg had been Elbing, Gdańsk was Danzig and Morąg had originally been called Mohrungen.

Morąg was about forty minutes away, but Klaus had insisted they choose the country hotel as he considered it the only decent accommodation in the Elbląg area. Caroline just shrugged. She liked the cross-country driving. There was always something to see, there was Klaus' hand to hold – although she still hadn't figured out how he managed to shift gears while his hand was otherwise engaged – and it was relaxing in a way.

When they arrived at the little town, it was late afternoon. Klaus had told her that there was indeed a Carthusian monastery not too far from Gdańsk, but the Pope had indicated that the monk named Mariusz was living the life of a recluse somewhere near Morąg. Carthusians were a very withdrawn monastic order, and it was not a rare event that individual monks retreated even further from the world and chose the existence of an eremite.

"Caroline," he said sternly when they emerged from the car in front of the town's relatively large red brick church, "I will not dither around. When I ask anyone a question, I will compel them first. If you have an issue with that, I would quite frankly prefer for you to stay in the car. If you want to have discussions about it, fine, we will speak about it later, but not now." His gaze softened infinitesimally. "I do not mean to be rude, my love, and I most definitely do not want to fight with you, but I know your stance on compulsion, and I will do this my way."

She frowned. "You are not planning on hurting anyone, are you?"

"No. But I will waste no time playing human, either." He looked at her questioningly. "Can you live with that?"

"I compelled half of Ushuaia during my stay. It would be very hypocritical to judge you for that. I still don't like it, and I haven't yet come to terms with how ruthlessly I compelled everyone for weeks, but if it's only for the purpose of finding out the truth, I suppose I am in no position to disapprove."

With a warm smile, he took her hand. "Good. Because I definitely prefer to have you by my side." They entered the church, and Caroline gave a sudden subdued giggle. Klaus turned to look at her, puzzled at what was so funny, and she pointed to a garlic braid next to the door.

"Is that for us?" she whispered, covering her mouth with her hand to suppress further giggling.

"Possible, but I doubt it. We will go to Romania one day – they are really superstitious up in the mountains, it is very entertaining." He fell silent as he spotted the priest emerging from a side door. Releasing her hand, Klaus quickly faced the man, his pupils dilating, and asked him something in Polish. The clergyman shook his head and replied very quietly, pointing towards the doors and then to his left. Klaus nodded and turned around, taking Caroline's hand and setting off towards the doors. Once outside, he muttered, "He has only been here for three weeks and does not really know anything. But there seems to be a retired priest two streets from here, whom he suggested we ask."

After a short walk, during which Caroline noticed how Klaus had to rein in his impatience at the human pace, they reached the house the young priest had described. Without further ado, Klaus briskly knocked. A few seconds later, they heard movements in the house, and steps approached. Someone was limping, walking very slowly. Then the door opened to reveal a very old man, a little hunched, bowed down by age. Again, Klaus wasted no time whatsoever, and this time they seemed to be in luck. The conversation took a couple of minutes, then Klaus nodded and turned to leave. Caroline smiled briefly at the old man and followed. After a few steps, Klaus spoke again.

"It would seem the monk left the area right after he returned from Italy. According to the priest, he moved to a small shack in a forest bordering the village of Bogaczewo, near Elbląg. We passed that village on our way here. Formerly Güldenboden, by the way," he grinned, looking at her expectantly in the hope that she would repeat the word.

"You always laugh at me," she pouted, "I won't say it."

Klaus pulled her into his arms and kissed her, quickly but passionately. "My love, I will never, ever laugh at you. I only find it incredibly endearing to hear you speak other languages. And it never takes you more than two tries to pronounce any word correctly. Remember Norway, that evening at the restaurant where everyone wanted to teach you words in Norwegian?"

She bit down a smile at the memory and turned around to walk on. "Too little, too late," she commented dryly, making him chuckle again. In two big steps, he was at her side and grabbed her hand to bring it to his lips.

Half an hour later, they pulled up at the outskirts of Bogaczewo. The minuscule village was bordering a lake, surrounded by forests and consisted of one main road, a train station, a motel and maybe two dozen houses. They asked at the motel and the station, but no one seemed to know anything about a monk in the woods. Then they proceeded to inquire at the private residences, and when they knocked at the seventh door, they finally got their answer. The elderly lady gave Klaus directions to the little shack where Mariusz seemed to be spending his days. Her husband was a forester, therefore he knew the area well and had also met the monk a couple of times.

Once they were out of sight, they flashed through the woods at full vampire speed, and Caroline scoffed at Klaus' smirk when he noticed how she had to struggle to keep up with his Original Hybrid speed. _Just you wait, Mikaelson. You're gonna pay for this!_ They slowed down a few hundred yards from the hut, walking the rest of the way at human speed. Just as they had reached the place, the door opened with a creak that cut through the quiet noises of the forest like a fire alarm. A man came into sight, wearing a monk's cloth, looking like he had alienated himself from all worldly things but seeming tired all the same. Caroline supposed that even continuous spiritual enlightenment could wear you out at times.

He looked up, starting violently as he saw them. After a moment, he seemed to be collecting himself, and something changed about his posture.

"Can I help you?" he asked in English, with a voice that sounded strangely metallic, probably from lack of use. _We don't seem to look very Polish after all._

Klaus approached the monk now, his pupils dilating.

"Who gave you the document you handed to the Pope during your visit to the Vatican?"

And then the man's voice changed entirely, becoming high-pitched, and a void expression entered his eyes. Caroline's jaw dropped when he spoke again.

"It is of no use, Niklaus. He has been spelled and does not remember a thing about his visit to Rome. Or about the Original Grimoire. But I knew you would come and find him here in good old Prussia once you went to collect the book from the Pope's Archives."

Klaus was stunned into complete silence. Caroline stared at him, then at the monk and back at her husband. It was not often that she had seen him like this but as always, Klaus' stupefaction didn't last longer than a few seconds. His eyes narrowed and he held out his hand towards Caroline. She was at his side in a few quick steps and clutched his hand fiercely. He squeezed it reassuringly, never taking his eyes off the monk.

"What a perfectly charming – and admittedly unexpected – surprise. And there I thought the Plane of the Living had got rid of you for good after last time. How are things on the Other Side… mother?"


	25. Deal or No Deal?

**한국 대단히 감사합니다 ! :)**

**Apologies, ****everyone, ****for not uploading the new chapter yesterday . It might happen again from time to time over the next couple of weeks, but I'll try to keep the disruptions to a minimum. **

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**All of you guys are so lovely for reading, reviewing etc., and I know I've said this before, but you really are the silver lining on my currently somewhat tainted horizon! :)**

**THANK YOU! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

She was shocked beyond words. _Wait… this is _Esther_? The Original Witch? His freaking mother who tried to kill him and his siblings? And incidentally, all of us?_ She took his hand into both of hers, unconsciously moving a step closer to him.

"Well, son, there is one thing you could never be accused of, and that is a lack of brains, is that not right? I should say I am proud of you, but we both know I would be lying."

Caroline felt him tense at her side and straightened, outrage drowning out her fear now. "You may have borne and raised him, Mrs. Mikaelson, but you have absolutely no idea of who your son is. You don't know the first thing about any of your children, even if you have watched them from the Other Side for a millennium. But you have only ever seen them with your eyes. Not with your heart."

Klaus looked down at her with a loving smile. "Do not bother, Caroline. She cannot hurt me anymore, therefore whatever she says is of no consequence."

She shook her head. "It is to me."

He gazed at her again and somehow, she _felt_ what he was saying. _I love you, Caroline. _The butterflies were now dancing a Polka inside her, despite the anxiety that was taking hold of her.

"How touching," the monk said in the strange, female voice that was so irritating. "And you, Miss Forbes, honestly believe that you know Niklaus better than I do?"

"No," Caroline replied serenely, "I don't believe that. I _know_ it. Because unlike you, I love your son, and I am making it my business to learn everything there is to learn about him. Every single day. Just as he does for me. And it is Mrs. Mikaelson, by the way."

She felt him squeeze her hand again before he said icily, "I suggest we get down to business, mother. What is it you want?"

"Your help, Niklaus."

He laughed out loud, a sharp sound that made Caroline flinch and gave her a glimpse of how deeply he must actually be hurt to this day by the way his parents had treated him all of his life, no matter what he said about how they could no longer get to him. Caroline was absolutely certain that somewhere deep inside, maybe in a place close to his dungeon, he had always kept a little spot for them, which was why it still hurt him every time he felt their coldness, their indifference, their hate even. She could hear it through his hard, unyielding voice as he spoke now.

"Mother, I killed you. You tried to kill me in exchange, and more than once. I do believe we are at an impasse. What in the name of the Gods makes you think I would so much as consider helping you, whatever it is you require help with?"

"I am not expecting you to do it out of love for your mother."

"I would have to call you a fool if you did."

"However," the monk went on, "I have something to offer you. And as a sign of my goodwill, I have arranged for you to receive the primeval Original Grimoire, containing the information on your Signum that was missing on the copy you received centuries ago, which is something I learned about only very recently. You did a respectable job covering your tracks, son." The monk laughed which gave Caroline goosebumps. She felt Klaus stiffen almost unnoticeably at her side, and she clutched his hand more forcefully as the strange voice sounded again.

"Let me not bore you with the admittedly extensive and rather intricate tale of how I came to know of the manuscript's existence and of the fact that you own a copy. Suffice it to say that I am still the Original Witch. But you did feel the magic that emanates from the papyrus when you retrieved it, did you not, Niklaus? It is the original document, there can be no doubt about that." The monk inclined his head. "I understood the meaning of the first paragraph at once, but I never reckoned that any of it could come to pass, not in a thousand lifetimes. After all, who would willingly exchange a Signum with _you? _But I am digressing. You are aware that I have been severely weakened by the failed ritual I performed on you. However, one thing has not changed – I am the Original Witch, and I can still inhabit humans, witches or vampires on this plane, even if for very brief instances only. It weakens me considerably, as does watching someone from the Other Side. So I had to be careful how to utilize what little strength and energy I have left, and I chose to invade a vampire and then compel the monk to collect the papyrus scrolls from their original hiding place and deliver them to the Pope. I joined the monk in vampire form once more when he was in audience with the pontiff and compelled the Pope to hand the document to you the moment you came to collect your copy. Incidentally, your Signum did take me by surprise. You do love her, do you not, son?"

"Oh, do forgive my not asking for your blessing," Klaus scoffed. "What is it you want, and what is your offer? Not that I would seriously consider striking any bargain with you, mother, but I admit to a certain curiosity." Caroline heard the tension in his voice, and she was relatively sure that it had more to do with the fact that his intricate precautions for the manuscript had not been intricate enough after all. He had simply not considered that the very second he had hidden the book in the Vatican had been one of the few moments his mother had actually watched him from the Other Side. Caroline could almost feel how he was berating himself right now. His distress over Esther actually knowing about the _contents_ of the Original Grimoire was secondary.

There was a brief moment of silence before the monk spoke again. "I do suppose you have deciphered the meaning behind the paragraph about the Signum." Klaus nodded curtly. "I thought as much. What I want from you, Niklaus, is quite simple really. I want you to destroy the Other Side."

Caroline's eyes widened, and she looked up at Klaus who never took his eyes off the monk as he thoughtfully stroked his chin. "You want to pass on to the Eternal Realm of the Dead."

"Yes. I have some… conflicts with the Old Witches, and you know that there is now way to move on from the Other Side. After my spell against you failed, I have not been able to recuperate my full power and can therefore not return to the Plane of the Living with my original strength intact. As it is, I am also not truly interested in a life on this plance that consists of nothing but hiding from you and the rest of my spawn for all eternity. There is no chance for any reconciliation with the other witches, which is why I am in what you could describe as solitary confinement for the rest of eternity. I still do have some of my powers and I do hear a few things from time to time, though. Hence I can tell you that the Old Witches are pacting with some old friends of yours, namely the Bennett witch and that insufferable Marcel creature. They have a plan, and I want to impede them from succeeding, just as I strive to eliminate this world once and for all. I no longer wish to be here."

A calculating expression had entered Klaus' eyes. He was weighing his options. Caroline could see he really didn't like the idea of cooperating with his mother, and he most definitely did not trust her in the least. But she turn into an ally against Bonnie and Marcel – even on the Other Side, she was still the Original Witch after all.

"What is their plan, then?" he demanded suspiciously.

The monk inclined his head. "They want to create an entirely new supernatural world order, with both of them as supreme leaders. Which would mean…"

"… that they will have to kill all four of us, thus eliminating the worldwide vampire population and creating a new line which would then be entirely sired to Marcel. They hope to achieve that with the help of the Original Grimoire whose existence one of the Old Witches revealed to them. I remember Samedi saying something about how we were the only _living_ beings who knew about it, therefore there must be at least one more person in the know, and who but an Old Witch would keep the secret for such a long time? So once we are gone and Bonnie has revived Marcel, he will be turned into an Original Vampire. That will enable him to compel any witch or warlock of the four lines to make an Original Witch out of Bonnie, and the two of them will be the ones to have the ultimate knowledge and power to rule the Plane of the Living, making them the true masters over life and death." Klaus' brow had risen while he spoke, and a vicious little smile played around his lips.

"Exactly. What is most important about this is that with the help of the Old Witches, Miss Bennett has found a way to enhance the resuscitation spell. You are aware that resuscitation has always been of a temporary nature? Well, it no longer is, at least not when Miss Bennett performs the spell. She can revive anyone _permanently._ The person in question returns to this plane unchanged and will live according to their natural span of life. In the case of vampires, forever. Marcel will die after you have been killed, but he will return immediately. He will then proceed to turn legions of humans into new vampires, siring them to him which will make him the absolute ruler of the entire vampire population. That is their plan. And now here is where it gets dicey for my own scheme. Niklaus, you have read the Original Grimoire, and I assume your memory is still intact?"

"Yes, of course it is."

The monk was silent for an instant, then he nodded. "A charming little side-effect of my plan is this. Apart from your blood, son, an Original Witch or Warlock is required to execute the magic strong enough to bring down the Other Side once your Signum has turned golden and your blood is ready. What is the one condition attached to the creation of Original Vampires, Witches and Werewolves?"

"You lose the one person you love the very most," Klaus replied evenly. Caroline almost crushed his hand between hers.

"Precisely."

"Contrary to you, mother dear, most people _do_ have a loved one they are not overly keen to lose, therefore it should be challenging to find a witch willing to make that sacrifice just to create an Original Witch even more powerful than herself."

The monk smiled broadly. "Come on, son. You are always one step ahead, are you not? Amaze the present ladies with your intellect."

Klaus quickly ran his thumb over Caroline's hand before he released her to pace back and forth. She had observed he always did that when he really wanted to concentrate. "All right then. An Original Witch is required to bring down the Other Side. She needs to be created. The creator's most loved one will die. Bonnie and Marcel want to kill the Original Family and subsequently all vampires worldwide, including Marcel himself, who will be resuscitated by Bonnie right after his death." His frown disappeared. He seemed to have made the connection, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to look at her encouragingly.

Caroline considered for a while, then her face lit up. "Of course! Bonnie has to be the one to create the Original Witch we would require to bring down the Other Side because her loved one is… Marcel! According to her plan, he is going to die anyway! And then we just stop her from resuscitating him."

"That is exactly it, my love. Tell me, are you certain there is no one she loves more than…"

"Marcel," Caroline finished the sentence firmly. Klaus raised his brows. "No, there is no one. She really is in love with him, Niklaus, it's way more than an infatuation. I didn't see it that clearly before, but that must actually be the one reason why she is doing all of this. She likes the power, but never so much so that she would singlehandedly bring down the entire vampire population, including her former best friends… and her own mother. Not even Black Magic could change her that much, I am sure. Everything she does is for him, however twisted it may seem. She probably thinks it's a token of her love if she helps him obtain his heart's desire – to bring you down and rule the world. But… I still don't understand how she could have fallen like that for him in the first place! After all, she hates vampires!"

The monk folded his arms across his chest and grinned. "I believe I can solve this riddle for you. Niklaus, you do remember that Marcel was originally from what today is Haiti? Well, it would seem that he is actually descended from an old line of witches who first came to then Sainte Domingue from Africa, a very long time ago. However, one of the truly strange twists of the supernatural is that very rarely, the offspring of a witch or warlock does not inherit their innate magic. But as some kind of compensation, those non-magic descendants, while being basically human, have great charisma and can exert some kind of emotional pull over witches and warlocks, if only to an extent. It is not comparable to compulsion, as the non-magic witch or warlock in question cannot truly steer this power. It is simply there. Bonnie has to have been drawn to some part of Marcel's personality or appearance from the very beginning. It might have started as nothing but a certain admiration for any of his traits, or simple physical attraction, but once she began to fall for him, her already existing pull towards whatever aspect of him has magnified a hundredfold as a consequence of the not-quite-natural allure he is exerting. What she feels for him is very real, but is has been greatly expanded, making it her most absolute emotion. Love is not only a vampire's greatest weakness, but also a witch's."

Klaus looked like he was going to object, but he decided against it. He gave Caroline a broad, dimpled smile, then he resumed his pacing and said, "Be that as it may, here is what will have to happen. I will forge the Original Grimoire anew, making it more easily decipherable and including a passage about how only an Original Witch or Warlock can identify the Pale Blood, the one other weapon to kill us. We will need to destroy the White Oak stakes ahead of everything else... or," he added with a vicious smile, "see if they will use them as bargaining stock, the way Marcel indicated the day he forced Caroline to leave. Whichever way, the Bombay type blood has to be the only option to end us so Bonnie has to firmly believe she requires an Original Witch in order for her plan to work. Whichever of the Old Witches gave Miss Bennett the hint about the Original Grimoire, does she know the entire content of it? And does she know mine is not the exact copy of the original manuscript?"

Shaking his head, the monk replied, "No. The original document has been under my vigilance for quite some time, and I never shared its contents or whereabouts with anyone on the Other Side. Never put all your cards on the table, is that not right, son? You always need to have an ace up your sleeve, so to speak. One of the Old Witches vaguely knew about the manuscript's existence, although I very seriously doubt she was ever aware of any copies. To my knowledge, no one showed any major curiosity about the book, as until very recently there was still enough White Oak left and no alternative was required. Furthermore, everyone knew it was both Mikael's and my mission to rid the world of your presence, and they all trusted us to succeed. When we failed, they worked with Miss Bennett, Prelati and Mikael to find another way, giving them an indication as to where the invisible original White Oak was located, enabling them to cut down a small number of stakes. When the tree was finally burned down by Elijah and the others, the world was running out of possibilities to kill the four of you, and the existence of the Original Grimoire was brought up by the one Old Witch who knew about it."

Klaus' eyes were thoughtful as he stared into the forest. "No part of the document reveals what exactly needs to happen for the Signum to turn golden. We know it is linked to the strengthening of the bond between Caroline and myself, but that is all. Do you know anything about that, mother?"

The monk shook his head. "No, and I doubt anyone else does. To my knowledge, this is the first time in history that a Signum changed its colour at all, which is probably one of the reasons no one in earlier times ever put much focus on that specific paragraph – they actually thought it impossible or did not understand it in the first place. I would presume the original author of the Grimoire could shed some light on it, but no one knows who he is, and it will be almost impossible to be found out without alerting the entire Other Side to what is happening."

"Try. We need to know how this works."

"Does that mean we have an agreement, Niklaus?"

"It does not. I am considering. I do not care about your fate, mother, nor do I care about the Other Side. What does matter to me, however, is that with the destruction of your world, Mikael will go free. He will find peace, and he will no longer be subjected to the punishment that was chosen for him. We all know you never cared about any of your children, mother, but even you should be appalled at Mikael's involvement in what happened to Henrik. I am not willing to end my stepfather's suffering."

A long silence followed Klaus' words. The monk never took his eyes off him as he considered what The Original had just said. Then he spoke again, very slowly. "Would you consent to our bargain if I found a way to extend his punishment or devise another one that could be meted out in the Eternal Realm?"

"Extension yes, new punishment no. Anything but what he goes through now would be too mild a penance. How would I even know whether you kept your word – and succeeded?"

"You will need a witch to work with you in any case. In that context – it is a shame that Silv lost her powers. She was very good, and she would have been able to achieve great feats. Well, bygones. Choose a witch or warlock from one of the three oldest lines, it has to be someone very powerful. Bennett, Samedi, Van Tale. The Prelati line has ended with Silv, otherwise it would have been the fourth option. Once you find him or her, they will be able to locate Mikael once he is in the Eternal Realm. They will tell you that his conscious mind cannot be contacted because it is still in eternal limbo. I will give you my word, Niklaus. I will find a way not to let Mikael know peace."

Caroline was watching Klaus very closely. She could see the deep mistrust in his eyes and she didn't blame him. This entire family had always been so dysfunctional, having killed, betrayed and lied to each other for such a long time that she secretly wondered how they managed to uphold even the façade of civility.

"I want proof, mother. Now. If you are desperate enough to make a pact with me of all people, you will be desperate enough to demonstrate that you can be trusted." He paused for an instant, his narrowed eyes boring into the monk's. "Return to the Other Side. Find out where Kol is and how many White Oak stakes are still in existence, whether Marcel and Bonnie have them all and where they are. We will wait here for your return. Once I have the required information, I might be persuaded to agree to your proposal, provided Mikael will continue to be punished to all eternity."

The monk's eyes had widened. "It will be challenging to obtain that information so quickly. How about giving me a few days, and I will contact you again once I have it?"

Klaus' face split into another vicious grin. "You have this one chance, mother, now or never. If you do not provide the requested information tonight, we will find another way to thwart Bonnie's and Marcel's plan, and I will never agree to the destruction of the Other Side. As we have established, I am the only one who can accomplish that feat eventually. You will be deadlocked in isolation and eternal war with the Old Witches. It is entirely up to you."

With a heavy sigh, the monk raised his hands in defeat. "All right, Niklaus. I will see what I can do. Stay here, and once I have left his body, compel him to remain inside, forget about all of this and just lie down and sleep. I might be a while, though."

They looked into each other's eyes for a minute before Klaus finally nodded. There was a change in the atmosphere, not unlike the one Caroline had experienced in the presence of both Prelati and Bonnie after she had turned to Black Magic, and all of a sudden, the monk shuddered and lifted his head, looking around in confusion.

"Co się stalo?" he mumbled, and Caroline guessed he was asking about what was going on. Klaus flashed over and dilated his pupils, whispering something in Polish. The monk nodded and without another word, he turned around and disappeared inside the little shack, closing the door behind him.

She looked at Klaus questioningly.

"I do not believe a word she said about finding a way to extend Mikael's punishment," he said evenly. "And without that, I will never consent to destroy the Other Side. But we shall see how she fares."

* * *

Three hours later, darkness had fallen on the forest. The nightly sounds were unsettling and soothing at the same time. Caroline felt reminded of the woods around Mystic Falls in some ways, but as much as the noises resembled those back in Virginia, they were also very different. At some point, she heard a large animal stomping through the trees, not recognizing its smell or sound immediately. She looked over at Klaus, big question marks in her eyes. With a smile, he took her hand, and they flashed off in the direction of the noise, stopping at some distance. It was an elk. Her breath caught at how imposing the animal looked. It was very tall, much taller than she would have expected from the pictures she had seen of elk, and it did not look afraid at all. Klaus pointed out that the elk had been the heraldic animal of East Prussia, and together with the wolf – the real one – and the stork, it was the signature animal of the region.

After gazing at the elk for a short while, they returned to the shack. They had not talked very much ever since Esther had left the monk's body, both dwelling on their own thoughts. Caroline had been trying not to let the worry overwhelm her, but it was hard not to be afraid. To think that Bonnie and Marcel had the powerful Old Witches and basically the entire Other Side behind them! Was there no way to get through to Bonnie? Love, even if supernaturally enhanced, was all swell and dandy, and Caroline knew there was little to nothing she wouldn't do for Klaus, but starting a war or committing genocide was something else entirely, and it could not be excused with being in love or even with the emotional allure Esther had spoken of. She had confirmed it was not compulsion, so there must be some free will left in Bonnie, mustn't there?

There was a subdued noise from inside the hut, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Klaus' head jerk up. He gazed towards the door, and a second later, it opened to reveal the monk. They both rose from the tree trunk they had been sitting on, taking a couple of steps towards the hut. Caroline felt goose bumps rise on her skin as the monk spoke in that strange, shrill voice again.

"Niklaus. I see you learned to rein in your impatience to an extent, which admittedly surprises me. But anyhow, enough of the chit-chat. I have obtained the information you asked for."

Klaus lifted a corner of his mouth into a crooked smirk. "Please, mother. The suspense is all but killing me, no pun intended."

"I want your word first, son. Your pledge that you will destroy the Other Side once everything is resolved."

He cocked his head, raising an eyebrow. Then he sat down again, crossing his arms over his chest, his grin broadening. "Ah, well, now isn't this a delightful quandary? You want my word, I want proof of your veracity. Who will be first to cede?"

With a sigh, the monk leaned against the wall of the hut. "Tug o' wars are cumbersome, Niklaus. Nobody wins, and it is as much a waste of your time as it is of mine. There are three White Oak stakes left."

"The Bennett witch mentioned four."

"If you stopped interrupting me, son, I could get to the point eventually," the monk hissed, which sounded even eerier than the high-pitched female timbre. "There were four stakes indeed. However, your younger brother managed to come in possession of one which he burned instantly. Therefore only three of them will have to be disposed of."

_Well done, Kol!_

"Where are they?" Klaus demanded coldly, but Caroline was sure she had seen a hint of smugness cross his face at the mention of how his little brother had managed to withdraw one stake from circulation.

"Your word."

"Where _are_ they, mother? I can really not imagine you letting your pride impede your path to the Eternal Realm."

"And I cannot imagine you risking your wife's life and with that, your happiness, over your stubbornness, Niklaus," the monk snapped.

They scowled at each other for what seemed aeons, neither of them willing to retreat. Caroline was just about to sit down and prepare herself for a long night of glares and angry growls when Klaus spoke again.

"Very well, mother. If your information turns out to be accurate, you prove to be helpful and I find no reason to believe you betrayed me – all of us – I give you my word that I will supply my blood for the destruction of the Other Side."

Caroline caught her breath, staring at him wide-eyed. She knew the Other Side was not a good place and apparently so gruesome that even those who ruled it didn't quite want to stay, but still… it was the annihilation of a whole world they were talking about. Granted, everyone who was on the Other Side _was_ already dead, or kind of dead, but the thought of extinguishing an entire plane of existence was monumental. She would need to think about what it meant and how she felt, and she would need to talk to Klaus and Elijah about it.

"If you do not honour your pledge, Niklaus, I will find ways to make your life even more miserable than it has been while Caroline was gone, and I am utterly serious. All right. Listen closely for I will only say this once, and I will give you no further information than the following. The three remaining stakes have been placed under an invisibility spell and are hidden in a secret vault in Marcel's house, but I cannot determine the exact location of said vault. Kol has been taken, desiccated and is kept in seclusion at Black Witches' Alley. You have heard of it?"

Klaus nodded. "I have, but I always thought it was a myth, created by witches and warlocks to threaten their enemies and to enhance the mystery that surrounds everything magical." Caroline looked at him quizzically. He turned towards her and explained, "Black Witches' Alley allegedly is a small dry area, a gorge in the middle of the Everglades. A cave diverges from it. Ever since the first Black Witches settled in the area, the cave has been rumoured to have been utilized for all sorts of purposes. Rituals, secret encounters, even murders. But first and foremost, it has been used as a hiding place for whatever the witches deemed worth hiding. A number of different spells have been put on the cave over the years, one of them rendering the entrance to the cave invisible. And no one but a witch or warlock can enter it – if they know where to look for it. I have always thought the whole story to be a ruse, but I have quite honestly never bothered to find out more about it."

Caroline hung her head. "So there is no way we can get Kol out of there after all, if it is so thoroughly spelled," she muttered. Then she looked up again in surprise as she heard him chuckle.

"I wouldn't go that far." He pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. "Elijah."

With no sounds of civilization around, Caroline could hear her brother-in-law as crystal clear as if he was standing next to her. Esther, being trapped in a human's body, could not.

_"Niklaus."_

"Have you found Kol yet?"

_"No. The Salvatores went into the swamps yesterday after Rebekah and Elena joined us here in New Orleans, but they haven't found out anything, either. Nigel seems to have disappeared entirely. I have a feeling that Remy knows more than he wants to admit, at least when it comes to Nigel's whereabouts, but you know how it is."_

"We will have to seriously speak to him about this neutrality nonsense once I return. Anyhow, you can stop the search. Kol has been desiccated, and he was hidden at Black Witches' Alley, which is apparently more than a mere myth after all. The remaining stakes are invisible and in Marcel's possession, although it would seem that Kol managed to destroy one of them before he was taken."

_"How did you find out?"_ Elijah sounded extremely surprised.

"Our beloved mother sends her best."

There was a very long silence on the other end of the line. Caroline could hear the deep worry in Elijah's voice when he finally spoke again.

_"Are you and Caroline all right, Niklaus?"_

"Yes. I will give you the details upon our return. We will meet all of you in Miami two days from now. The Fontainebleau. We will go into the Everglades from there. Elijah, this is imperative – you will need to bring Davina. Tell her that Kol's life is in danger. Compel her if nothing else works, but she has to be there." He paused for a second. "And call Anna Rubashkina in Kaliningrad. Tell her we will come to see her tomorrow. She has to spell Caroline against the usual – migraines, immobilization and the like. I want to see that done before we get there."

_"That will take some persuasion. You know Anna is not overly fond of you. Where are you, incidentally?"_

"Elbląg. Or rather, the woods in the middle of nowhere."

_"Oh, back to the roots? Well, you will tell me once you return" _There was a brief pause_. "Niklaus."_

"Yes?"

_"Please be careful. You know Esther is not to be trusted for a second."_

"I am aware of that fact. Brother, once we arrive in Miami, we need to speak in private, for there has been a development in regards to the Original Grimoire and the Signum." Caroline shook her head vigorously, pulling a little smile from Klaus at her silent protest. In her book, private talks between the brothers always ended in some crazy Plan B, and she wouldn't have any of that this time. Klaus' smile widened. "We will speak within the family. Now, do call Anna and Davina. Have Davina spell all of you against the usual as well before you leave. Do not under any circumstances alarm Marcel or the Bennett witch, and do not go for the stakes quite yet. Let Silv, Elena and Bekah have a drink at Remy's and spread the rumour that you received notice of Kol being in New York and that you will all leave for the city immediately to find him."

_"Fine. I will also speak to Remy before we leave. I fully agree with you, Niklaus – he needs to choose at some point."_

"Thank you brother. I will see you in two days."

When Klaus broke the connection, Caroline saw him type a text at full vampire speed. Looking over his shoulder, she noticed it was to Elijah and consisted of only five letters. **"FLL. RC." **She would have to ask 007 later. _The Spy who Loved Me._

He cleared his throat. "Well then, mother, it has been most entertaining, but we will need to be on our way now, as I am certain you will understand. Once we have Kol and the stakes, we shall speak again. Find out what you can about the Signum." Taking Caroline's hand, he turned to leave, but then he halted and looked at the monk once more. "A word of warning. Should you renege on your end of the bargain, I will stop at nothing, _nothing_, to make your half-life on the Other Side the worst kind of existence imaginable. You saw what happened to Mikael? It will look like a holiday compared to what I am going to do to you if you go back on your word, and that includes any sort of interaction with the Bennett witch, Marcel, the Old Witches or anyone who sides with them against me. It also includes anything you do to thwart our efforts to recover my brother, the stakes and bring down our enemies. I hope I made myself quite clear."

The monk smiled. "Let me extend you the same courtesy, Niklaus. Should you break your word, I will find ways and means to break _you_. But as another sign of goodwill, I am prepared to give you one final piece of information. You would have found out soon enough, but it will save you some time." There was a brief pause. "The young Davina is descended from the Samedi line. A perfect choice, even if unconsciously made."

Klaus pursed his lips and considered for a moment. Then he gave a curt nod and said, "Duly noted. If you will excuse us now, I believe we all have work to do."

He squeezed Caroline's hand, and they flashed off through the thick, pitch-black forest.

* * *

"What was that text about?" Caroline demanded once they were in the car, driving along the dark country road towards their hotel. "'FLL. RC.' What's that supposed to mean?"

Klaus' hand was covering hers, and they both basked in the warmth the little innocent touch provided. Being in Esther's presence, even if only in spirit, had been utterly unsettling, and Caroline was yearning to spend the night in Klaus' comforting embrace and to give him all the love she was sure he would sorely need after the cold, contempt-filled encounter with his mother.

He smiled now. "A little test, and also a safety net. One of us – I'm thinking Stefan – will go to the Fontainebleau in Miami and see whether there is any supernatural presence indicating that someone has been alerted to our presumable arrival. If so, we wiil know for certain that Esther is playing false. If not, we can assume she really is after what she said she wants and will most likely adhere to the bargain, at least for the time being. Which does not mean we can lower our guard for even one second, though. Anyway, the rest of us will meet in Fort Lauderdale, at the Ritz Carlton."

_Ah. FLL. RC. Got it, Mister Bond._

When they arrived at their room, Caroline inspected the contents of the mini bar and pulled out what looked like vodka but had some little flakes floating in it. Puzzled, she held the bottle into the light and shook it carefully, making the golden fragments dance. Klaus' eyes lit up at the sight, and he nodded towards the drink.

"It is called Goldwasser, or originally Danziger Goldwasser, as it was invented and produced in Gdansk for centuries. I am amazed to find it in a mini bar, for it has become rather rare. It is a herbal liqueur, containing a small amount of genuine gold flakes. It was first invented in the late fifteen hundreds, when everyone firmly believed in the existence of alchemy and gold was said to have all kinds of healing and invigorating powers. The original brand is now produced in a small town in central Germany, which is why I am somewhat surprised to stumble across it here, even when this is where its origins are. Anyway, would you like to try it?"

Caroline was already searching for glasses. A drink with genuine gold? The world was a funny place at times. After finding two cups, she poured the Goldwasser and held her glass against the light again, shaking her head in amazement. _Would you believe it._ Klaus grinned and raised his glass. Caroline noticed a hint of cinnamon, licorice, anise and something reminding her of citrus fruit.

"Interesting taste," she commented. "Is this the original recipe from back in the fifteen hundreds?"

Inclining his head, Klaus nodded. "More or less. There have been some minor adjustments over the centuries but the basic ingredients have remained unchanged. And modern industrial bottling gives it a different taste compared to when it was produced manually."

She looked up at him and gave him a tender smile. "How are you feeling?"

With a sigh, he dropped onto the bed, resting against the headboard and taking another sip of his drink. "I am fine."

"Niklaus, she is your mother. Are you seriously telling me that any encounter with her leaves you unaffected?"

He pressed the ball of his hand against his forehead and closed his eyes for a second. "I killed my mother a thousand years ago, Caroline. She tried to kill me and my siblings in exchange, attempting to annihilate the entire vampire race _she _created. She would have been a prime ally for Bonnie and Marcel, and I would immediately have suspected her to be involved had it not been for her request to annihilate the Other Side – only Esther would be selfish enough to destroy an entire world just because she feels like it. Which is why I actually believe her. She has never had a kind word for any of us even when we were still human, and she has never cared about anyone but herself."

Setting her drink aside, she knelt on the bed next to him and took his hand in hers. "How are you feeling?" she asked again.

His hand cupped her cheek as he gave her a very tender smile. "Another of the million reasons to love you, my darling. So caring." He bit his lip. "It does not hurt me anymore. I have lived without her affections all my life, and it was hard for me while I was still young and hoped that someday, she would change her mind and show some warmth towards me. But with every day that went by with no sign of kindness, my heart hardened against her a little more. And then came the day I killed her. She had cursed my werewolf side to lay dormant, and I was ragingly angry about that, yes. But what truly hurt me to the core was the way she abandoned me. The disdain, the contempt in her face was crueler than any insult Mikael ever tossed at me. At that very moment, I knew that any hope I still hid in some remote corner of my heart was obsolete. Whatever feelings I had for my mother died with her. I will always have to live with the guilt of having killed the woman who gave me life, but I am not living with the guilt of having killed the mother I loved."

Caroline had been stroking his hand while he spoke, thinking about how she could relate to the feeling of not being accepted by one's own parents, although her case was child's play compared to the issues the Mikaelson family had been dealing with. However, she still wasn't sure that her husband was really all that emotionless about his mother. Klaus smiled again and sighed.

"And how are you feeling, my love?"

"Wary. She is still powerful, isn't she?"

"To an extent, yes. But she lost a great amount of her strength when her ritual back in Mystic Falls failed and she had to return to the Other Side after Damon's schizophrenic hunter mate killed her. Magic as complex as the one she wanted to perform takes up a considerable amount of energy, and Esther had no time to fully recuperate before she was killed, which eliminated part of her powers. This has apparently also weakened her position amongst the witches and warlocks on the Other Side, whom she had attempted to subjugate over many centuries, as I have been reliably informed. I am therefore inclined to believe that she truly needs help to accomplish her transition to the Eternal Realm. Unless she has an ulterior motive I am not able to see, she would never have played the original manuscript into my hands, revealing how the Other Side can be destroyed. I am still somewhat suspicious, but my instincts tell me she is not attempting to deceive me this time."

Hanging her head and gazing at their entwined hands, Caroline nodded. "I hope so. Now, what do you think will need to happen for our Signum to turn golden? Until now, it has never been a concrete event but more of a general intensification of feelings. But this seems to be a more decisive step than the previous ones, so will that be linked to something in particular?"

Klaus gave her an appreciative nod. "That is very probable, although I have to admit to being at a complete loss as to what will have to happen. Considering the fact that it is in Esther's best interest for it to come to pass soon, I am confident that she will do her utmost to find out, even if I doubt that anyone apart from the author of the original manuscript knows anything about it."

With a very fierce expression on her face, Caroline straightened and looked at him closely. "Just to be clear – if a sacrifice of any kind is involved, I am not going to allow it to happen. Whatever it is, if it has to do with however minimal a risk of losing you, I'm out."

He pulled her into his arms and gathered her close, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I actually doubt it is about a sacrifice. The Signum has always changed as a consequence of something very positive and fortunate, namely the deepening of the bond between two lovers. Love is the purest of emotions in both the human and the supernatural world, and I firmly believe it would go against every grain of the Signum's essence to involve a sacrifice affecting that kind of bond."

She nodded thoughtfully. "What does the Other Side stand for? What is its essence?" she asked, grabbing her glass and taking another sip of the Goldwasser, to whose taste she was beginning to gradually warm.

"Darkness. Suspicion . Violence. War. Hate. Evil. Guilt. Vice. Loneliness. Fear."

Moving to sit next to him on the bed and leaning against the headbord as well, she considered his words for a few moments. "The Signum turns golden and makes your blood the one and only weapon to extinguish the creepy demi-world. So it has to be infused by something that represents the exact opposite of what makes the Other Side tick. Light, trust, peace, love, innocence, courage."

"You are getting better and better at this, aren't you, my sweet little one?" he grinned almost proudly. "All right, let us proceed with that assumption. We truly love each other, and I sincerely doubt there is any way that my love for you could become any stronger than it already is. I trust you, and I believe you trust me."

"Implicitly."

He took her hand and kissed her fingers, making her close her eyes for a second. "Innocence? I have none left. You are very young, very pure and glowing with light, my love, but I am sorry to say, you are no longer innocent, and not only in a sexual context."

Caroline gave a little grin. "Well, I'm sorry that I can no longer give you my virginity, Niklaus."

Shaking his head, he smiled and squeezed her hand. "I am not. Not that I wouldn't have considered it the greatest honour to be your first lover, but it is much more important for me to be the last."

Her heart clenched. She thought back to her first time, a rushed, painful event in the backseat of a car with someone who hadn't cared about her and for whom she hadn't actually cared, either. It hadn't been forced, but at the bottom of her heart, she had known she wasn't ready, although she had been too much of a coward, too desperate for attention to say no. How different it would have been with Klaus! He would have taken his time, he would never have urged or cajoled her, and he would have made it an experience to cherish forever. But she had him now, and she had him for all eternity, which was so much more valuable. _Still… I would have loved to give him that, too. _

"There will never be anyone but you, my love," Caroline whispered. She had never called him that before, and Klaus' eyes told her he was well aware of it. And that he liked the sound of it.

"I am certain that you are right," he murmured softly, obviously still marveling at what she had just called him. "It has something to do with love, trust, purity and innocence. We will need to give it more thought eventually. But now you should get some sleep, Caroline. I am not sure just how much time to rest we will be able to find over the coming days."


	26. Claustrophobia

**日本からのみな様 本当にありがとうございます。:)**

**Pem, thank you for asking - everything will be back to normal soon (I hope). My special thanks go to you, Brittsmile19, Marie, Patie, Tricia and Ana20.**

**A particularly big hug to Justine for posting the freaking FOUR HUNDREDTH review! 400! It simply blows my mind, everyone, but then you already knew that, didn't you?**

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**I am very, very grateful for your ongoing support, dearies - and sorry for a somewhat shorter chapter today! Oh, and... family reunion tomorrow! ;)**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CLAUSTROPHOBIA

It was still dark when Caroline awoke. Klaus was gently stroking her hair, his breathing a little shaky. _Nightmare. He has been dreaming of Henrik again._ She turned to lie on her side, facing him and brushing her knuckles across his cheek. His eyes were wide and haunted, he was sweating and looking deeply disturbed. Caroline moved closer and entangled her legs with his, placing her hand on his heart and exerting a little bit of pressure, just the way he had when she had suffered from the panic attacks back in Patagonia. He stared into her eyes, and very gradually, she saw him calm down and return to reality. To her. Pulling him closer, she made him bury his face in her shoulder and slipped her arms around him, holding him as tight as she could.

"The usual?" she whispered gently, running her hands over his back.

He nodded. "It was the first time since I have found you again. Before that, while you were gone, the dreams have been worse than ever. When I got you back, they stopped altogether and I hoped they were over for good." He swallowed. "Apparently not."

"I'm so sorry, Niklaus. Is there anything I can do?"

"Just be here."

They held each other until the sky began to brighten, not saying a word, not letting go. Caroline knew it helped him immensely, although it could probably not completely heal his pain. If only there was something she could do to help him conquer the recurring visions of his poor baby brother! Klaus had gradually begun to accept the fact that Henrik's death had never been his fault either time around, after having beaten himself up over it for centuries, and Caroline wished with all her heart that the nightmares would finally stop hounding him and give him a real chance to come to terms with the events of his past.

And what was the step to reach the final stage of the Signum? She kept racking her brains about their earlier conversation. What was still missing between them? Had they been regular humans, she would immediately have thought of a child – what could be more innocent and pure than a baby? – but something told her that apart from the fact that vampires couldn't procreate, it wasn't about that. It had to be about the two of them, and the two of them only.

There was some light creeping over the horizon now, indicating that the new day was about to greet them. Caroline felt Klaus stir in her arms and sighed quietly. Time to get on the way to Kaliningrad. After they had seen the witch Anna, they would travel back to the States and meet everyone in Florida. And the events would take their course.

* * *

Three hours later, they had reached the outskirts of Kaliningrad after having compelled their way through the Russian town was an exclave, completely surrounded by Poland and Lithuania. Caroline listened to Klaus' description of how the former city of Königsberg had looked before having been destroyed in the wake of World War II. It was hard to imagine, seeing the dull, grey buildings now. There were a few nicer houses near the river, but all in all, the town was not very inviting. They stopped in front of a two-storey house next to the Pregel river, which was were Anna was supposed to be living. Caroline took in her surroundings, gazing at the meandering waters, the dreary buildings on the other side of the river. Had anyone asked her to describe the atmosphere in one word, that word would have been 'grey'. As beautiful as the surrounding countryside had been, the city seemed to be downright depressing.

Flashing up the stairs to the second floor, they arrived in front of a shabby-looking door. The hallway smelled like all different kinds of food mixed together, making her crinkle her nose a little. Klaus rapped on the door rather briskly, and an instant later, they heard steps approaching. The door opened with a screeching sound, revealing an elderly woman whose eyes immediately narrowed to slits at the sight of Klaus. She folded her arms over her chest, blocking the entrance and glaring at the Original. Caroline thought she detected a hint of vervain in the air.

"What is it you want, Klaus Mikaelson?" she snarled, her eyes full of disdain.

Not bothering with pleasantries, Klaus replied in his most detached tone, "I assume my brother has called you by now, has he not?"

There was a moment of silence before the witch answered, "I would not have opened my door to you otherwise, Klaus. I have no business with you, and I believe I have made it perfectly clear decades ago that I did not ever want to lay eyes on your cursed face again."

_Wow. She really hates him. What happened there, I wonder?_

"You will never have to again once you do as I ask. And it is not much I am asking."

"Even if you were asking for directions, it would be too much, Hybrid." She turned her gaze to Caroline now, scanning her appearance, weighing. "Elijah tells me there was someone stupid enough to marry you. This is her, I reckon?"

Caroline gritted her teeth and drew herself up to her full height. _I will give you stupid, you old hag._ "_She_ is perfectly able to speak for herself, lady. And to answer your question, yes, I am the one who married Klaus, and however closely I look, I can't find anything the least bit stupid about that," she said firmly, now crossing her own arms and scowling at the witch. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Klaus trying to fight a satisfied smile.

The older woman pursed her lips and assessed Caroline anew. After a minute, one corner of her mouth lifted so infinitesimally that Caroline almost missed it. Then she took a step back and made a curt gesture towards them. "Come in."

With a brief nod, Caroline stepped over the threshold, followed on the heel by Klaus. Anna closed the door behind them and led the way towards a relatively large living room. Caroline's eyes widened at the sight of the apartment's interior. However shabby the outside of the building, the hallway and even the entrance door had been, the inside of the place was completely belying the exterior. The floors were covered in heavy wooden parquet, polished and gleaming, and the paintings lining the walls did most definitely not look like art prints. She spotted what looked like an actual Turner, vowing to herself to ask Klaus whether the painting was the original. The living room furniture was elegant and looked very pricey. A rattan couch and three armchairs were grouped around a dark, wooden coffee table, and in the far corner of the room, a large dining table was placed next to an oriel. A heavy crystal chandelier towered over everything, and Caroline wouldn't have been surprised if instead of crystal, the drops had been genuine diamonds.

Anna was watching her closely, a slight smirk on her weathered face. "Didn't expect that, did you?"

Shaking her head, Caroline said, "It is a very beautiful place. Quite different from what it looks like on the outside."

"Most things are," the witch replied with a pointed look at Klaus who was leaning in the doorframe, his narrowed eyes on Anna. She gestured for Caroline to sit and turned towards the Original. "I have no desire for you to be in my house for longer than absolutely necessary. What do you want, Klaus?"

With a nod towards Caroline, he said evenly, "I want you to spell Caroline against any regular magical attack you can think of. Migraine, immobilization, desiccation, visions. Whatever a witch or warlock could spontaneously concoct without any major preparation. And the spells will have to last for a few weeks, as I have no idea how long things will take."

Settling in one of the armchairs, Anna stared at Klaus incredulously. "I have always known you were delusional, but what in heaven's name makes you think I would do anything whatsoever for you?"

The crooked smirk on her husband's face told Caroline that he was about to get down to business. It was the expression he always carried when he began a negotiation, and it was the moment he and Elijah looked almost spookily alike. "Oh, that is quite simple, dearest Anna. You will do it because I will leave you no choice."

Grinding her teeth, the witch leaned forward and lowered her voice to a hoarse whisper. "You _dare_ threaten me in my own home, you foul bastard? After everything you have done, you have the bloody _nerve_ to show up here, ask for my help and _command_ me?"

In three blurry steps, Klaus was kneeling in front of the old woman, his face mere inches from hers, his hands on the armrests of the chair, trapping her with no chance at escaping. "Yes, Anna, I have the bloody nerve," he hissed, as menacing as Caroline had ever seen him, "for one simple reason. The woman sitting across the table is the single most precious thing in my entire existence, and I will go to any length to protect her from pain, suffering, injury and death. I do not care about your sensitivities, I do not care about your feelings towards me. There is only one thing I care about, and that is the protection of my wife. I therefore suggest that you stop the whining and get to work. I do not have all day."

There was a long moment of silence, and Caroline could suddenly feel something in the air. An instant later, Klaus gave a vicious snicker and sat back on his heels. "My apologies, witch, I should have informed you beforehand that the lovely little headaches are no longer working on me ever since I became a Hybrid." His hand constricted around Anna's throat, and his eyes turned yellow. "I am beyond serious. Do it!" he snapped.

"Niklaus!" Caroline exclaimed, rising from the couch, drawing his attention to her. She shook her head and mouthed, 'Please don't.' Glaring at her, he took a couple of deep breaths and let the regular colour return to his eyes. Anna hadn't missed the silent exchange, and her eyes widened when Klaus' grip around her throat loosened slightly. Caroline held out her hand and looked at him imploringly until he finally released the witch and reluctantly joined her on the couch.

The old woman cleared her throat and straightened, her eyes on Caroline. "Klaus. I want to speak to your wife. Alone."

With a scoff, Klaus growled, "Over my dead body."

On a sudden impulse, Caroline covered his hand with hers and gave him a tender smile. "I'll be fine. Let me talk to Anna for a moment, okay?" Her eyes darting to the witch, she said firmly, "She will not harm me, I am sure."

Klaus shook his head. "Caroline, she is a witch. She _can_ harm you, and I will not allow that. Whatever she has to say, she can say in front of me."

Now she turned to him fully. Remembering a comment Elijah had made to Klaus ages ago about how his gunboat diplomacy was not really helping his case most of the time, she decided they would get results faster without Klaus in full-blown Godzilla mode. "Niklaus, I will still be here, alive and well, when you return. You could call Elijah and ask him about his opinion on what we discussed last night. Maybe he has some ideas. Give us fifteen minutes, okay?"

She could see he hated the thought beyond reason. Staring at Anna very blackly, he hissed, "If you harm so much as a hair on her head, you will _beg _me to let you die, do you hear me? Fifteen minutes, not a second longer, and you will perform no spells during my absence." Without waiting for an answer, he cast a warning look at Caroline and flashed out of the door.

The witch shook her head. "You are either very brave or very stupid."

"This was the second time you called me stupid since I arrived, and I am starting to get the picture, thank you," Caroline snapped irritably. "What do you want to talk about?"

Leaning back into the armchair, Anna folded her hands over her stomach and gazed at Caroline questioningly. "You do know who he is, do you not?" she asked, all aggression disappearing from her voice now that Klaus had left the house.

"Yes," Caroline nodded, "I know who he is and what he is. I daresay I know that better than most people out there."

"I have no doubt. You are a very luminescent person, especially for a vampire, and I am surprised – or rather appalled – at how someone like you could have chosen _him_. If evil has a face, it is his."

"I beg to disagree. First of all, there is no shadow without light. Secondly, I have seen far greater evil than my husband. Among vampires, among humans, among your ranks."

Anna looked at her thoughtfully. "When Elijah first called me yesterday, I laughed at him. I couldn't imagine that anyone would ever feel inclined to even consider the company of Niklaus Mikaelson for more than five seconds at a time, let alone marry him. Elijah said you have changed him, and I just caught one or two glimpses of that. Is it true? Have you?"

Shaking her head, Caroline said, "No, I haven't. He has a very complex personality, and all the traits, the bad and the good, have always been there." She paused. "What has he done to you that you hate him so much?"

"He killed my son."

Caroline's stomach contracted at the witch's harsh words. It was always easy to accept Klaus' past when it was abstract, an amorphous mass of mostly bad deeds, but facing someone in the flesh who had actually been wronged by him was a completely different story. "What happened?" she asked quietly, not trusting her voice.

Gazing out of the window, the witch sighed deeply. "My son was a young warlock, only recently initiated to the world of magic. I sent him to New Orleans in the hope that he could study pieces of magic that I wasn't able to teach him. Klaus was in town at the time and always on the lookout for witches or warlocks who would side with him against Mikael. Anatol, my son, was a gullible, impressionable young man, blinded by Klaus' promises of power, influence and adventure. He was persuaded to perform a spell that went way beyond his fledgling magical capabilities. When a witch or warlock casts a spell too powerful to be controlled, it backfires. Is the magic complex enough, it can kill them. And that is what happened to Anatol. Klaus asked him to do a Barathrum spell, which is one of the most complex curses in existence and belongs to the world of Black Magic. It basically sends the spelled person to what you would consider hell. Of course, hell doesn't physically exist, but that specific curse gives you the hallucinations that horrify you the very most. It uses your deepest fears and turns them into very real, palpable menace. You will never know that all those things just happen inside your head."

Swallowing, Caroline stared at Anna who had closed her eyes and pressed the balls of her hands against them before she continued. "Anatol was supposed to experiment with the curse, to practice so he would be ready to perform it on Mikael at Klaus' convenience. Only that he did not survive the experiments. The spell backfired, and ever since then, Anatol has been trapped on the Other Side as he had stepped over the threshold between White and Black Magic with the intention to benefit from both worlds. Klaus killed my boy and condemned him to eternal life in a world of darkness. You have no idea what that place is like."

"I am so sorry," Caroline murmured, "I really am. And I understand your feelings towards Klaus." Weighing her options, she looked at Anna firmly and said, "If, hypothetically, we found a way to ensure Anatol can move on to the Eternal Realm of the Dead… would you help us?"

The witch stared at her, wide-eyed. "There is no way. Once you are stuck on the Other Side, it is forever. Those are the rules."

"Rules are made to be broken. And if there is one thing I have learned ever since the supernatural entered my life, it is that nothing is impossible, nothing is irreversible and there is a loophole for everything."

With narrowed eyes, the old woman scrutinized Caroline's face. "You know more about this, do you not?"

Inclining her head, Caroline gave a shrug. "Not much, really, but I know there is a way. It is complicated and will have far-flung consequences, but it is doable. And I promise that when we get the chance, and I'm sure we will, your son will be able to move on."

"What do you need for it to happen?" Anna demanded, leaning forward. She was most definitely interested, and it was easy to tell that there was nothing she wouldn't do to help her son. Caroline scolded herself for thinking like Klaus, but an additional ally would come in handy.

"There are a couple of things back in the States we need to take care of first. One of my best friends is involved, although I don't think she is my friend anymore. She has turned to Black Magic and has been threatening me and the family. Anna, have you ever heard of anyone turning back into a White Witch?"

The witch shook her head. "Black Magic is way too powerful and too seductive. There have been isolated cases of Black Witches or Warlocks who have ceased to practice their craft, but once you become a Black Witch, you never stop being one. A true return to the White side of things is not possible. Who is your friend?"

"Her name is Bonnie Bennett. Have you heard of her?"

Giving a quick scoff, Anna raised her hands. "She is a Bennett. Who hasn't? I would say that at this moment, she is probably the most powerful witch on the planet. The oldest lines – Bennett, Prelati, Samedi and Van Tale – have more natural magic than any other witch or warlock, with one exception. The Original Witch. Your mother-in-law, so to speak. The Prelati line is extinct, there are two Samedi witches who are both still in development, and one Van Tale warlock who has not even been initiated. No one can currently match the Bennett witch. You have a very dangerous adversary."

Caroline nodded. "Which is why we need your help. We'll have to confront Bonnie soon, and we don't have a witch or warlock on our side at the moment. Silv, the last of the Prelati line, is now a vampire. And Elijah's wife, by the way."

A look of complete surprise crossed Anna's face. "I didn't know that." With a small smile, she went on. "I have always liked Elijah. He is a great man, and I hope he will be happy. I have heard good things about the Prelati witch, too."

"Our whole family is being threatened, and that includes Elijah and Silv. And… I don't want to sound ominous and vague, but there is something very big behind all of this, something that may at some point concern the entire supernatural world. I am sorry to say that I don't yet trust you enough to reveal to you what it is, but Anna, I truly give you my word – when all this is over, we will help your son."

The witch was silent for a long while, considering. Caroline didn't say anything, studying some of the paintings and giving Anna her time. Finally, the old woman nodded. "Very well. I will spell you against everything commonly used against vampires, and a few other curses. If you find a witch to cooperate with you and she needs help with a double spell, let me know."

With a grateful smile, Caroline rose and shook Anna's hand. "Thank you." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Will you… spell him, too? Please," she added imploringly when the witch was about to protest, "don't do it for him. Do it for your son. Klaus is the only one who can do what needs to be done. There is nothing you wouldn't do for Anatol, right?"

Anna nodded. "I would gladly die for him."

Her voice very soft, Caroline replied, "And this is how I feel about Klaus. I need him to be safe, Anna. And I give you my word that we will help Anatol when all of this is over."

Sighing deeply, the witch rose and began with her preparations. Shortly before she was done, she turned around.

"Caroline."

"Yes?"

Hesitantly, Anna looked up at her. "All Bennett witches have a paralyzing weakness. It's hereditary and it can have an impact on their magic."

Caroline's eyes widened. "And what is that?"

"Claustrophobia."


	27. A New Friend and a Snapped Neck

**ישראל תּוֹדָה רַבָּה ! (I probably got this one entirely wrong, apologies! ;))**

**Tricia, Justine, Marie, Pem and Patie - thank you so very much, ladies! :)**

**And of course, a heartfelt thanks to everyone who is always taking the time to read and review, to follow and favourite. :X**

**Please enjoy, and I hope there will be some more of your lovely reviews in for this chapter as well. ;)**

**THANKS, DEARIES! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

A NEW FRIEND AND A SNAPPED NECK

It had been somewhat intricate, but they had finally made their way to Fort Lauderdale. The private plane that had brought them from Rome to Gdansk did not have the range for a Transatlantic flight and Klaus hadn't wanted to waste a day waiting for a suitable aircraft to be delivered to Kaliningrad, so they flew commercial. Kaliningrad to Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Montreal, Montreal to Fort Lauderdale. _Shame that we are not collecting air miles._

The Ritz Carlton was a very large hotel but surprisingly elegant for such a vast complex. It was located right on the beach, and Caroline found herself longing for a bikini, a sun chair and an umbrella cocktail. Well, there was certainly something to be done about the latter, she mused while they crossed the lobby towards the pool terrace. Their family was gathered around a largen wooden table, and Caroline's eyes lit up at the sight of them. Elijah, Silv and Rebekah were sharing a bottle of white wine, Elena was holding a colourful drink that did have an actual umbrella and a flower on it, and Damon was sticking to his customary Bourbon. Next to him, a slim, petite brunette with translucent skin and large, baby-blue eyes was clutching what looked like a glass of iced tea. This had to be Davina. _Wow, she is pretty… but if she really is into Kol, she will need to work on her drinking habits. And now I understand what Bekah meant about her being kind of ethereal. She has something of a fairy. She looks… pure. _

"You finally dragged us to a tolerable place, Blondie," Damon grinned when he spotted the two of them approaching. "I haven't even seen an iceberg so far."

Elena jumped up and hugged Caroline, pulling her to the chair next to hers. Giving her sisters-in-law a quick kiss on the cheek and briefly embracing Elijah, Caroline looked at the witch who was quietly watching the scene. Holding out her hand, she gave the woman a smile and said warmly, "You must be Davina. I'm Caroline. It's nice to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you."

The brunette nodded and gave her a tentative smile, shaking her hand. "As I have about you." Then she looked over to Klaus and briefly inclined her head. "Klaus."

He gave a quick nod, and the corners of his mouth lifted fractionally. "Davina. Thank you for coming. And for helping us." The witch pressed her lips together and nodded again.

"So what do you know of Kol's whereabouts?" she asked, and Caroline thought she detected a small tremor in the witch's voice. She seemed to be very worried about the youngest Mikaelson brother, and Caroline began to ask herself whether this was much more than a mere crush. Someone had told her that Davina, though still very young, was a bit of a recluse with no family and friends, attempting to keep away from the world as much as she could, never travelling or even trying to become acquainted with her fellow witches. Kol must be truly important to her if his disappearance made her leave her shell and led her to travel for the first time.

Klaus settled on a chair next to Elijah, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder for a moment and exchanging one of those looks of silent communication with him that always made Caroline wonder whether they could actually read each other's thoughts. He signaled the waiter and smiled at Caroline who pointed at Elena's drink. After ordering a Mint Julep for himself, he turned to Davina.

"It would seem my dear brother managed to get himself desiccated. According to what I have been told, he is being kept at Black Witches' Alley, which means that none of us have a possibility to get to him. This is why we need you, Davina. You know better than I do what spells and curses protect the cave, and you are able to access it and end the desiccation."

The witch looked at him thoughtfully. "There might be spells I don't know how to counter yet."

Silv leaned forward and gave Davina a gentle smile. "Do not worry, I will help you. You know that I can no longer perform any magic, but I can still sense it, and I can describe to you exactly how the required counterspells have to be composed. You may be young and still in formation, but your natural magic is stronger than almost anyone else's." Nodding encouragingly, Silv put a hand on Davina's. "We will accomplish this together."

With a gleam of relief in her eyes, Davina smiled at Silv gratefully. Caroline could tell that despite the fact that Silv was no longer a witch, there was a connection between the two. And she wondered whether living as a recluse was healthy for Davina, seeing how she was doubting herself and her capabilities. Just like Caroline, the witch seemed to be in need of a little reassurance. It made Caroline warm towards her considerably.

At that moment, Rebekah's mobile vibrated. She smiled at the message and looked up. "Stefan didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He has scanned Miami Airport, the Fontainebleau and its surroundings. Nothing. He's on his way now."

Klaus pursed his lips. "It would seem that mommy dearest has played it straight so far, which does not necessarily imply she will continue to do so. We will wait for Stefan to arrive and make our way to Black Witches' Alley first thing in the morning. Elijah, do Marcel and Miss Bennett have any inkling about the fact that Caroline has been found?"

"No one knows about it. We have made a point of publicly making assumptions as to where she could be and we divulged that you are still entirely heartbroken, travelling the world in an attempt to forget. And I suggest we keep it that way for the time being until we have devised a plan on how to best approach the entire situation." He paused and let his eyes wander to Klaus' Mint Julep that was just being served. "I spoke to Remy in private. He has heard rumours about Marcel being increasingly distant towards his followers, even some of his inner circle. And no one has seen Miss Bennett outside of her house ever since she had her run-in with Caroline a couple of months ago. The witches and warlocks I have spoken to, here and in Buenos Aires, are uneasy. All of them consistently indicated that something is in motion, although no one could actually pinpoint what it is that is makes everyone so edgy. Davina, what is your impression?"

The witch gazed at the blue, sparkling ocean for a while before she answered. "I agree. No one knows just what exactly it is that is going on, but the atmosphere is tense, and it feels like…" She blushed faintly before continuing. "Like the eve of doom. They can even feel it in the Eternal Realm. I have very recently succeeded in contacting one of my ancestors for advice on a spell. It is easier to communicate with those on the Other Side as they are more closely linked to our plane. People within the Eternal Realm are incredibly difficult to find, but I managed to locate my ancestor and I spoke to him. He said that he could strongly feel impending change. A seism that is going to rock the very foundation of the world of the supernatural. And he told me to go… to you, Klaus. He said it was all centered around you, but that despite your being the linchpin to all of this, you were also the only one able to do what needs to be done to save the supernatural world as we know it. And that you were going to need my help. When I asked him for some more details, he couldn't or wouldn't give me any, but he said that I was to… trust you."

Everyone was staring at her in astonishment, then heads turned towards Klaus. He took a sip of his drink and cocked a brow. "The ancestor you spoke to, was that Vicq Samedi by any chance?" he asked calmly.

Davina's eyes widened. "Yes. How do you know him?"

"I killed him."

There was a brief silence at the table until Damon chuckled and shook his head. "Seriously, Ted Bundy, just how do you do that? You kill people and they still believe you are Neo, the Chosen One?"

With a quick grin, Klaus shot back, "I kill them very charmingly. And you are not that far off with the Matrix reference, actually, but more on that later. I killed Vicq Samedi because he asked me to." He looked at Davina very firmly before he continued. "He was tired of this life. Shortly before we met, he had found a way to shed his magic and to briefly become human in order to avoid the Other Side. I suspect that is one of the reasons why it was hard for you to find him in the Eternal Realm in the first place. He died a human. Be that as it may, he came to see me to offer a bargain. A quick and painless death in exchange for an object he had in his possession which he justifiably perceived as too dangerous to be circulated. He gave it to my keeping right before I killed him."

Caroline hadn't asked Klaus how he had actually got hold of the Original Grimoire, so this story was new to her, too. "So Vicq Samedi was a warlock who managed to turn human? How is that possible?" she asked expectantly. If a warlock could turn human, then there must be a way for Bonnie to return from Black Magic to being the White Witch she used to be.

"That I do not know," Klaus admitted. "He was the most powerful warlock in existence, and he was a dark, very strong man. His magic was utterly advanced for the time. He showed me his grimoire the day I came to collect the object, and there were spells and curses recorded in that book that I had never heard of in seven hundred years." _You admired this guy, didn't you, Niklaus?_ He looked at Davina again. "Is Samedi's grimoire in your possession?"

The witch nodded. "It is. I inherited it from my mother. But she died before she could explain its contents to me, and it is also a grimoire of Black Magic. I could not make use of it anyway."

"There is a grey area," Silv interjected. "When you use them for protection or in self-defense, a few of the Black spells can be applied without repercussions from the Other Side. I will point them out to you, if you like."

"Thank you, Silv," the witch mumbled. "Heavens, there is so much to learn and so many things I don't really know about, it makes me feel so naïve and uneducated. "

"Who has been your mentor so far?" Silv asked with a frown.

"Sophie Devereaux, but we don't seem to be getting along very well. I have always felt that she doesn't accept me, and even less does she want to guide me, so I have mostly tried to teach myself. It only works up to a point, though."

With a nod, Silv pursed her lips. "The Devereaux witch is powerful, but she also craves the power. You represent a threat. Once you are in full zenith, she would never stand a chance against you, which is why she is attempting to keep you underdeveloped. How nice," she hissed with disdain in her eyes. Looking at Davina for a moment, she rose and pointed towards the beach. "Let us go for a walk, shall we?"

Elijah took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. "Do remain in close proximity, my lovely, if you will."

A tender smile spread on the brunette's face as she gazed down at her husband. "Of course. We will see you all later."

With that, the two women made their way down to the beach and walked towards the ocean. Elijah's eyes followed them for a moment before he turned to his brother. "I do hope Anna survived your encounter?" he inquired, grabbing his wine glass and leaning back in his chair.

Klaus grinned widely. "Why don't you ask the family's new chief diplomat?" he chuckled, gesturing towards Caroline who stuck out her tongue at him.

Elijah smiled delightedly. "So you convinced her to spell you?"

"Well," Caroline smirked, "not before the juggernaut here went to get some fresh air. You _can _be a bit rough at times," she winked at Klaus, but then she turned serious. "The woman lost her son after all."

"It was an accident. I never intended for him to die, Caroline."

"I know. But just imagine if someone caused my death by accident. Would you ever forgive them?"

His eyes narrowed at the thought. "No. I would never rest until he or she met their end. Slowly and painfully." His voice was calm, but he was perfectly serious. Caroline nodded.

"You see? You should understand her feelings, then, even though you didn't have a direct hand in killing her son. But we have already discussed this, and it is beside the point right now. Anyway, Anna spelled us, and she also offered her help with any spells should we need it. And she revealed that all Bennett witches have a weakness, a mortal fear. Claustrophobia. I'm not quite sure if this will be of any use, but it is good to know, I suppose. There is something I promised Anna in return, for her help, though."

She hadn't told Klaus about her pledge to Anna, and she wasn't planning to, not yet. She would wait until he made the final decision on whether or not to destroy the Other Side. If he decided against it, she would have to convince him otherwise. Apart from the promise she had given Anna, she had spent the long hours on the flight from Copenhagen to Montreal thinking about little else. Light needed shadows, and shadows needed light, that was true. But there were plenty of shadows here, in this world, and there would always be dangers, enemies, threats. The Other Side was a cursed plane, prone to bring nothing but pain, suffering and cruelty to the world of the living. _And the living dead who inhabited it._ If it was eliminated, there might be a chance to reduce the power of the Black Witches and Warlocks, to impede people like Mikael, Prelati and Esther from finding ever new ways of returning to haunt them. At some point during her musings, she had made up her mind. _He must do it. Once the Signum turns golden, he must annihilate the Other Side. _

"What promise?" Klaus demanded now, suspicious at her long silence.

"If you don't mind, I would like to keep that to myself for a little while longer. Don't worry, you won't have to give her your M6," Caroline teased, pulling a crooked smirk from Damon and another suspicious glance from Klaus.

"I do not like it, Caroline," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "I am not willing to adhere to any commitments you have made to her if I do not know what they are. And even less so if they comprise any risk for you."

Giving him a very tender smile, she shook her head. "There is no risk involved you wouldn't be willing to take. Will just trust me? Please? I will tell you soon, I promise."

Elijah gazed at Klaus and murmured quietly, "Brother."

With an angry huff, the younger Original shrugged and grabbed his drink. "Have it your way, then," he hissed and leaned back in his chair, gritting his teeth. Caroline's heart clenched a little. She didn't like being kept in dark, either, so she knew how he felt. And she didn't want to fight with him.

"Niklaus," she said softly, waiting patiently until he finally looked at her again. She locked her eyes with his and did not speak her thoughts. But she knew he could feel what she was silently conveying to him, just the way he always could.

_Please don't worry. I know you don't like this, but I have my reasons. No harm will come to me. Trust me, my love._

She saw him relax as he gazed into her face intently for a long moment, not betraying his thoughts. Finally, he gave an imperceptible nod before he turned his attention to the rest of the group. "We will leave tomorrow morning at six. As no one truly knows what to expect at that cave, we might have to improvise. Have all of you been spelled?" he demanded, looking around the table. Everyone nodded. "After we have recovered Kol, we will discuss our next move. Damon, you and Stefan have been in the swamps, speaking to some of the recluse vampires down there. Anything of interest?"

Damon took a sip of his Scotch. "Those guys gave me the creeps. Reminded me of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'. There was a lot of crazy talk, but I've come to learn that there is always a grain of truth to even the most abstruse of stories. One of those moonstruck idiots, apparently an acquaintance of this Nigel guy, mumbled something about a God-Gifted List."

Choking on his wine, Elijah turned to the older Salvatore. "God-Gifted List? Were those his exact words?"

"Yep," Damon nodded, a hint of disgust in his voice, "that's what he called it. Somewhat ironic for Marcel to use that name, don't you think?"

Caroline and Elena looked at each other, at a complete loss as to what they were talking about. Elijah set down his wine glass and put the tips of his fingers together. "The God-Gifted List was a list of artists considered indispensable to the Third Reich. Joseph Goebbels himself was the originator of said list, and the people on it were exempt from military service and any kind of persecution and repercussions," he explained and looked back at Damon. "So what exactly did he say?"

Sipping on his drink, Damon replied, "In the beginning it was a lot of bat-shit weird stuff about the end of the world, but at some point, he grumbled something along the lines of 'You're on the God-Gifted List, aren't you, fellow? If you are, have a drink on the good old times once you're back.' When I asked him what he was talking about, he told me I should stop playing him for a fool, he knew that everyone was on that list except for him and one or two of the other swamp vamps. That it was all a big conspiracy and an ethnic cleansing."

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a glance. "It would seem our dear friend Marcel is hand-picking the paladins who shall be serving him when things have taken their course," the younger Original remarked to his brother. "That is why he is being increasingly distant towards most of his other minions. And it tells us Esther has not been lying for a change."

"Ah… care to let us in on this conspiracy crap, J. Edgar?" the older Salvatore asked irritably.

"All in good time. Be patient, mate," Klaus snickered. "God-Gifted List. What a remarkable hubris," he scoffed and rose, walking over to Caroline and taking her hand. "I will be back shortly, my darling. I need some time to think. Stay close to Elijah and Bekah, please." Before she could say a word, he had squeezed her hand and left for the beach.

* * *

That night, Caroline awoke to Klaus' agonized mumbling.

"I am sorry, brother… sorry… so sorry… No, please… don't do this to him, _please!"_

She turned to face him and very gently pulled him into her arms, murmuring soothingly and stroking his back, tenderly kissing his forehead. A few seconds later, his lids fluttered open, revealing his tortured, disoriented eyes. When they came to rest on her face, he relaxed visibly and gathered her closer, holding on to her until the tremors stopped. Pressing a desperate kiss to her lips, he squeezed his eyes shut for a second.

"Thank you," he whispered urgently, "for always being with me when I need you the very most."

Caroline shook her head. "If only I could help you, Niklaus," she murmured in despair. "I can't see you suffer like this."

"Do not worry, my sweet little one. I have lived through worse than mere dreams, and I will not let this defeat me. I haven't for centuries, and now that I can always turn to you, it has become bearable." He paused. "I would like to take a shower. Would you please join me? I need to hold you, Caroline."

She gave him a loving smile and snuggled into his chest when he lifted her from the bed and carried her to the large bathroom. Turning on the water, he stepped inside the spacious shower and gently set her down, immediately pulling her close for a tender, almost timid kiss. When he released her, Caroline took the shower gel and squeezed some of it into her hands. With soft caresses, she began to run her hands all over his body, smiling at how he closed his eyes and entrusted himself to her care. It was one of those moments when her heart seemed to burst with her love for him, and even though she knew it was not a nice sentiment in a situation like this, she just couldn't help but cherish the feeling of being needed so badly. His hands never left her skin, memorizing every square inch of her body, stroking her just as carefully and lovingly as she touched him.

"I have no idea what would need to happen for our Signum to turn golden," he whispered right at her ear while he was gently rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. "There is no way, not even the slightest possibility of loving you more than I do right now, at this very moment."

"I know what you mean," she breathed, giving herself over to his divine ministrations, "I feel just like that. I feel like running outside and shouting my love for you from the rooftop for everyone to hear. It can't get more intense than this, it's biochemically and metaphysically impossible."

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her damp temple. "Please don't restrain yourself. It shall be a dazzling sight to behold, seeing you on the roof, soaking wet, gloriously naked, announcing to the skies how you love me."

_Oh, really?_

Without another word, she grabbed his hand and pulled him with her, flashing out of the room and up a few flights of stairs until she burst through the small door that led to the hotel roof. It had begun to rain, warm, thick drops of water that poured down on their naked bodies just as the shower had not half a minute earlier. She turned around to him, seeing how his eyes were sparkling with delight at her unexpected craziness. Licking her lips, she gave him a bright smile before she turned around again, taking a couple of steps towards the edge and opening her arms, lifting her face into the tropical rain.

"I love this guy, do you hear me up there?" she shouted towards the cloudy midnight sky. "I love him more than my own life and I will never stop loving him for as long as I live. And after that. And after what comes after that!"

Klaus was right behind her, doubling over with laughter when she added, "Oh, and before I forget – thanks for making him the most incredible shag in the universe!"

Whirling her around, his lips crushed hers while he was still laughing happily, his hands all over her. Caroline giggled into their kiss, suddenly feeling light and carefree and overjoyed. _It's good to do crazy things at times, wouldn't you agree, Caroline? _

Every fiber of her body heartily agreed when he lifted her from the ground, wrapped her legs around his waist and made her forget everything but the incomparable sensation of his hot, hard cock inside her and the warm rain engulfing them both.

And the endless love she would forever feel for him.

* * *

"I disagree," were Damon's first words when he clapped eyes on Caroline as they were gathering outside the hotel at dawn. She looked at him in confusion. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Elena frown and inconspicuously step on his foot. But Damon wouldn't have been Damon if he let anyone stop him from being obnoxious when he felt like it.

Shaking his head, Damon pointed at Klaus. "The best shag in the universe? You've gotta be kidding me, Blondie."

Turning vermilion, Caroline buried her face in her hands. They had heard her! _God, how beyond embarrassing! Ugh!_

"Damon!" Elena hissed, really upset now, "You either shut up, or I'll tell everyone what you said to me that first night in Argentina!"

The older Salvatore had the decency to look a little embarrassed, and Klaus was about to snap back at Damon when Caroline raised her head and held up a hand. Taking one step towards Damon, she gave him a malicious sneer.

"As I am the only woman present who is in a position to compare, I'm afraid that I have to inform you that you are being so totally bested in that department it can't even be put into words. Sorry, Elena," she added in a calmer tone before she suddenly realized what she had just said.

_Oh God, no! Caroline, you incredible _idiot_!_

She had entirely forgotten that Klaus had no idea about her brief whatever-it-had-been with Damon.

Slowly turning her head towards her husband, she cringed at what she saw on his face. He was entirely taken aback and ragingly angry, displaying the blackest glare she had ever seen on him. Without a word, he whirled around and stalked off in the direction of the gardens, leaving Caroline wide-eyed with anxiety. _Go after him. Right now!_

When Damon was catching his breath to say something, Stefan, who had arrived from Miami late the previous evening, was right in his face and growled, "If you say one word, just _one_ word, Damon, I will beat the crap out of you!"

Caroline turned to look at Elijah, afraid of what she would see on his face. Would he despise her, would he think less of her now? But her older brother smiled gently and nodded. "Go after him, sister. He is hurt, but it is mostly his ego. And if he plays difficult, call me and I will," he winked at Stefan with a grin, "beat the crap out of _him."_

Hanging her head, she followed Klaus, walking slowly and racking her brains about what she could possibly say to him but coming up completely empty. Her mind seemed to be on strike or it had been furloughed, as she couldn't seem to grasp a coherent thought for the life of her.

A minute later, she found him leaning against a large palm tree with his back to her, arms folded across his chest, staring out at the sea. His whole stance was tense, rigid and unyielding. "I know you had a life before me, Caroline, but don't you think something like this would have been worth mentioning at some point?" he asked, the sense of betrayal dripping from his every word. Caroline stayed where she was, making no attempt at approaching or touching him.

"Would you have told me about Silv if I hadn't asked her myself that day in Norway?" she demanded quietly and saw his shoulders drop a little.

"I do not know. Had you asked me directly, yes, but otherwise… I could not say." He was silent for a long while. "Was it serious, Caroline? Did you… love him?"

She thought back to the times when Damon had compelled her to be his 'girlfriend'. And tried to kill her afterwards. She had hated him for a long time after that, and only since things between Elena and Damon and her and Klaus had started to develop last year had she begun to forgive him. But she was perfectly well aware that if Klaus ever learned the truth about what the older Salvatore had actually done to her, Damon would not live to see another morning. And she could never allow that to happen to Elena.

"No," she replied truthfully, "not in the least. I was still human, desperate for attention, and Damon was new in town, the even more enigmatic brother of the enigmatic Stefan Salvatore. He _had _to be hit on. That was about all there was to it. He never meant anything to me, just as I didn't mean anything to him."

Now he turned around, leaning against the palm tree again, facing her, his posture still rigid. "Why have you never told me?" he murmured.

"Because it was a) not important, you b) never asked and I wanted to c) keep you from tearing his heart out and subsequently destroy my best friend who for some inexplicable reason loves him like crazy."

"C might still happen," he snapped, glaring at her darkly.

"Niklaus, you said it yourself – it is not important for you not to have been the first. It is vital for you to be my last lover, and that is what you are and will always be. Tell me, have you noticed even the slightest little bit of attraction between me and Damon?" He gritted his teeth, but he had to shake his head. "That's because there _is_ none! I am head over heels in love with my last-lover-for-all-eternity husband, and Salvatore Senior has been completely crazy about Elena since day one. Promise me you will hold the peace. There is nothing, you hear me, _nothing_ to be upset about!"

Klaus ran a hand through his hair. She could see he was torn between the suffocating desire to bring down hell and high water on Damon, and being reasonable enough to accept that Caroline had a history of her own.

"You never freaked out over Tyler, so what's the issue with Damon?" she asked now, scrutinizing his face.

"Caroline, whenever I see Tyler, I have to quell the urge to break his face. And I do not really encounter him that often. Damon has become some kind of… well, he is around far more frequently. I have come to tolerate his presence without wanting to continuously commit suicide, but looking at him and knowing that his hands have been on your body, that you made love to him the way you make love to me…"

"I never made love to Damon, and most definitely not the way I make love to you," Caroline interrupted. "I slept with him. What happened between me and him couldn't even be compared to you and me. I never merely slept with you. I made love to you, every single time from the very beginning. Now, think of the staggering number of women you had sex with over the centuries, and then tell me – is there a single one I would need to worry about if she was suddenly standing in front of you?"

The answer came with the speed of a bullet. "No. Not one." He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again to look at her. "How am I not going to kill him every time I lay eyes on him, Caroline?" he asked.

She took one step towards him and then stopped. "Just the way I don't go crazy whenever I look at Silv. I see her every day, I love her like a sister, but I can't completely block out what went on between the two of you. And still, I could never hate either you or her for it. That was way before my time, and I have no right to judge you. Niklaus, what happened between me and Damon was before I became a vampire, before I had even heard your name, and it was over in a flash. I can live with a thousand years of your past. Will you be able to live with twenty years of mine?"

He gazed at her for a long moment before he crossed the distance and lowered his forehead to hers. "I will. But I will also need some time to adjust to the thought, and Damon had better stay out of my hair during that period."

Caroline exhaled sharply, not aware that she had been holding her breath. "And I should have told you so much sooner. I'm sorry, Niklaus." She took both of his hands in hers. "I love you," she whispered, "always and forever."

"As I love you, Caroline."

She was astonished, admittedly. How did he give in so fast? Looking at him in amazement, she cocked her head in question and raised a brow. He didn't smile, but he brushed his knuckles across her cheek.

"I have spent an unbearable number of weeks believing I would never see you again. It puts a few things into perspective. I am upset, but you did have some valid points, and I am not yet prepared to be at odds with you for any length of time."

When they returned to the waiting group of family and friends, Damon was not smirking for once. "Listen, dude," he began, but he didn't get any further. Klaus had released Caroline's hand and was in front of the older Salvatore in a blur. In two moves too fast for anyone to discern, he rammed his fist into Damon's face. And snapped his neck.

Elijah looked at Klaus and crinkled his nose. "You are getting old, brother. Too damn slow."


	28. Apologies

**Mange tak Danmark! :)**

**As there have been quite a few remarks on this: Caroline will not tell Klaus the whole truth about what happened, and not because she is over it or has developed a sudden nonchalance about this issue. She actually does it for Elena, as she knows that not even she will be able to stop Klaus from killing Damon once he learns what he has truly done to her. So in order to keep Damon alive for the sake of her best friend, she will keep this to herself. **

**But one punch to Damon's face will definitely not quite be all. ;)  
**

**I apologize if anyone feels let down, that was not my intent.**

**Today's special thanks go to Marie, Patie, Tricia (my, you're optimistic! ;)), Pem, Justine, the anons and to Bekki (the God-Gifted list was a list of artists indispensable to Nazi Germany. Elijah explains it to Caroline and Elena in yesterday's chapter). :)**

**Time to go and find the lost brother today.**

**Please enjoy.**

**Thank you all! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

APOLOGIES

Two hours after leaving the hotel, they were on an airboat, scouring the heart of the Everglades. Klaus was at the wheel, racing along the mangrove-rimmed waterways at top speed. Caroline felt a bit sorry for Davina who looked a little green in the face. Ever since the scene in front of the hotel, Klaus hadn't said a word to anyone, and Damon had been equally quiet after he had awoken from unconsciousness. Caroline was sure the hypersonic speed had nothing to do with Klaus being in a hurry.

As they didn't know where exactly Black Witches' Alley was supposed to be located, they would have to rely on Davina and Silv to sense something sooner or later. When Elijah had said so, Rebekah had rolled her eyes.

"I have a déjà-vu of snow, quadrants and trying to run into an invisible tree," she muttered, making Elena and Caroline chuckle. Silv was quiet, looking into the distance, and Caroline could see Elijah softly stroking her shoulders. Her sister-in-law missed being a witch, but she had made it clear on more than one occasion that given the choice, she would always pick eternity at her husband's side.

The Everglades were a fascinating region. Some corners reminded Caroline of the Louisiana swamps – there were cypresses, mangrove forests and rich subtropical vegetation. Then again, the two strips of land were nothing alike. The Everglades were an incredibly vast landscape, more open and brighter, covered in sawgrass and reed. There was water everywhere, the swamps seemingly blending into tidal estuaries here and there. And a couple of times, Caroline was certain she had seen an actual alligator. The air was humid and sticky, and had it not been for the airstream caused by their speed, it would have been positively stifling.

During the hours they spent cruising the waterways, there wasn't much conversation. The airboat was noisy, and no one seemed to be feeling like talking. Stefan and Rebekah exchanged a few quiet words from time to time, and Elena had unsuccessfully tried to lighten Damon's mood with a little teasing. The corner of his mouth had lifted once or twice but other than that, he remained silent, just holding Elena's hand and staring out at the surrounding scenery. Silv and Davina were entirely focused on sensing traces of magic, their eyes closed, their faces concentrated. At some point, Elijah had risen to stand next to Klaus for a while. The younger Original's face was still stony, and both brothers had simply stared ahead, not speaking, not looking at each other. Caroline had to smile at the sight. She had always loved to observe the two of them together, with Klaus being so difficult at times and Elijah never ceasing to be his voice of reason. As she watched them now, she couldn't help but think that in this very moment, they looked a little bit like father and son.

After about five hours, they were just racing through what looked like a veritable tunnel of cypress trees when both Silv's and Davina's heads jerked up. Klaus slowed the boat down immediately at the sight of the women's reaction while Elijah looked at his wife intently and gestured for Klaus to kill the engine completely. The ensuing silence was deafening after hours of having to listen to the thunderous airboat, and finally, some animal sounds could be heard as well. Cicadas, crickets, toads… it didn't sound so very much different from the New Orleans swamps. Caroline couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but apparently Silv and Davina could. The latter had risen, eyes closed, and touched her fingers to her temple. There were a few minutes of silence before she opened her eyes and gazed down at Silv who was looking in the direction of a large group of cypresses ahead and to their right.

"That way," Davina murmured and pointed in the direction Silv was looking. The older woman nodded in agreement and Klaus restarted the engine, steering the airboat very carefully now, trying to avoid low-hanging branches and some treacherous shoals. Davina was still standing, her eyes closed again, silently indicating directions. After another fifteen minutes, she held up her hand, making Klaus kill the engine once more. Silv had also risen, and both of them were staring into a group of trees that formed something like a natural portal. They were clustered, standing so close to each other that Caroline briefly wondered how their roots had ever been able to spread, and all of them looked bizarrely gnarly, reminiscent of large trolls. In their midst, there was a small, pitch-black opening. _It looks like the Tree of the Dead in Sleepy Hollow, only that it is carrying leaves. Okay, Headless Horseman, in case you're in there, I didn't steal your skull!_

Silv nodded, looking at the group. "This is it."

Klaus tied the boat to a thick branch that seemed to be growing out of the water, and they hopped onto the narrow stretch of dry land that led towards the deformed trees. Holding out his hand to Caroline, Klaus looked at Elijah.

"I will lead. Cover the rear, brother, if you will. Bekah, stay close to Davina."

Taking his hand, Caroline followed Klaus into the dark gap, bracing for whatever might attack them at any given moment. She wasn't afraid, not with Klaus at her side, but the feeling was still a tad uncomfortable. As soon as the trees had swallowed them, the air turned cold. _Why does this witchy stuff always have to be so spooky?_ She could still see the path ahead, so the darkness was not absolute, but it did seem to have some kind of texture. It was thick, silky and it had… _a_ _taste._ Bitter, smoky, pungent. It reminded her of a Chinese tea she had once tried, a very tarry black tea that had left an astringent aftertaste on her tongue for hours. She clutched Klaus' hand a little tighter, feeling his thumb run over her fingers reassuringly.

The narrow alleyway was short. After about a hundred yards, the trees abruptly gave way to a diminutive gorge of relatively little height. The rocky walls on both sides rose no more than perhaps twenty-five feet into the skies, and the cleft was a mere seven feet wide. There were more trees on top of the rocks, bathing the bottom of the gorge in a shadowy twilight. Caroline decided not to give any further thought to the question how a gorge like this could be found in the middle of humid marshlands.

Advancing carefully, Klaus seemed to be taking in everything at once. His eyes were everywhere, assessing, watching. All of a sudden, they heard Davina's whisper behind them.

"Stop."

They turned around to look at the witch who was staring at the stone wall to their right. Silv stepped up behind her, examining the wall and giving a quick nod. "It is here. The entrance to the cave is spelled, and from the vibe of it, I would assume it is the same spell that hinders whoever has been banned from Remy's bar from ever finding the entrance again. Everyone, would you mind stepping aside?" They did as she asked, and Silv turned to Davina. "This is how it works," she began and went on to describe to the witch how to carry out the required spell.

Caroline watched them in fascination, marveling at how quickly Davina picked up everything Silv explained to her. She felt Klaus' arms coming around her and leaned into his chest, never taking her eyes off the two women who were completely focused on their task. Then Davina closed her eyes, raised her hands and began to mumble, her fingers moving in what seemed to be a patterned rhythm. Silv was standing close to her, observing her every move, and a delighted smile spread on her face as not even a minute later, an opening began to appear within the rocks. When the entrance to the cave was fully visible, Davina lowered her hands and opened her eyes again.

"I am impressed," Silv nodded, squeezing the witch's hand. "That was very fast and it cost you next to no energy. I believe Sophie Devereaux is very justified in fearing your powers, Davina."

Looking at Silv incredulously, the witch seemed to be blushing slightly. "Thanks," she whispered.

"Now, Kol is desiccated, and lifting a desiccation spell is a little more complicated, especially if it was a Black Witch who executed the curse. Desiccation is related to suffering, fading life and loss of spirit, all things that belong to darkness. A White Witch can desiccate a vampire, but she needs to take additional precautions for the spell not to weaken. The dark powers of a Black Witch are more closely associated with what desiccation represents and therefore suffice to make the spell more effective and longer-lasting. Do you remember what I told you about how the counterspell works?"

Davina nodded eagerly, and Silv gave her an encouraging smile. "I can see you from here, so no worries about anything at all. You will do just fine. Remember that none of us can enter the cave, and lifting all the spells and curses that protect this place against everyone who is not a witch would be very time-consuming, so you will need to do this on your own. If anything goes wrong, drop whatever you are doing and get back out here immediately."

Hesitantly, the witch took a cautious step inside the cave. Caroline squeezed Klaus' hand and went to stand next to Silv. Had it not been for her vampire eyesight, she wouldn't have been able to see a thing, but as it was, she could spot most of the interior of the cave. It looked like a cabinet of curiosities. There were dozens of objects of all shapes and forms she didn't recognize, a large shelf containing what seemed to be very old, almost disintegrating books – probably grimoires – and a number of tables scattered throughout the entire space. On the ground, she detected two large circles of candles, surrounding foreign signs and symbols drawn on the rocky floor.

But there was no sign of Kol.

Silv was apparently sharing her thought. She called out to Davina, "Focus on your feelings." Caroline turned to look at her sister-in-law questioningly. In an almost inaudible whisper, Silv explained, "It seems to be more than an infatuation for her. If she concentrates all of her senses on him, her beginning attachment to Kol will make her find him, even if he has been put under an invisibility spell."

"What about him?" Caroline replied just as quietly. "Does he feel something for her, too?"

"One can always hope."

They returned to watch Davina who was standing in the middle of the cave, eyes closed. Gradually, she began to move towards one of the larger tables, still not opening her eyes. It appeared like something was drawing her there – or was it _someone_? When she had reached the table, the witch extended a hand and carefully lowered it until it hovered a few inches above the tabletop. _No, look again! Her hand doesn't hover, it _rests_!_

"It is him," Davina murmured, "it's Kol."

Caroline heard a subdued sigh of relief behind her and turned to look at Klaus who had been following Davina's every move. She took his hand and gave it a tender squeeze, earning a small smile from her husband before they both returned their attention to the cave.

Davina was now gathering a few candles, placing them around the table. "It works without the candles, too, but every spell requires less energy when fire is involved," Silv clarified. "She will have to lift the invisibility spell before she can reverse the desiccation."

Everyone watched as the witch knelt in front of the table. With one flick of her wrist, all the candles were lit and she raised her hands, enlarging the flames. Then she began to murmur again, her face frozen in a trance. Silv was listening intently, nodding every now and then until suddenly, a single rush of air swept through the cave – and Kol became visible. He looked grey, dry and rigid but it was definitely him.

"That was _really_ fast," Silv whispered in wonder. "Good Lord, she will be all but unbeatable someday!"

Without wasting a minute, Davina continued to mutter, holding her hands and fingers differently now, her words a little clearer and louder. She rose from her knees, lifting her hands above her head, making the flames burn ever brighter. Holding her breath, Caroline almost crushed Klaus' hand while waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, she felt his lips at her ear.

"You really do care about my brother, do you not, my love?"

"He is my brother, too," she just murmured, feeling herself pulled against his chest and noticing Elijah smile as well.

After a few more minutes, Davina stopped speaking and looked down at Kol, then at Silv who beamed at her. "Perfect. It shouldn't be long now." Another short while later, Caroline saw Kol's skin gradually returning to its natural colour and heard Klaus exhale. _Now look at that. Is it possible that he was actually worried about his brother after all? Is there hope for these two pigheaded jerks?_

"Is it not customary to wake the Sleeping Beauty with a kiss?" a scratchy voice suddenly rasped, and all heads turned to see Kol slowly lifting himself onto his elbows, his eyes on Davina who was blushing furiously.

"I'm the witch in this scenario, not the White Knight in shining armour," she retorted. "And you might want to use some lip balm before thinking about kissing anyone, Imhotep." _She can hold her own against him all right. I didn't expect that…_

A wide grin spread on Kol's face as he spotted the congregation gathered outside the cave. "This is a matter of life and death! If anyone is carrying some Vaseline, will he or she please step forward immediately?"

"Idiot," Klaus muttered. "Come on, little brother, get out of there, we haven't got all day."

Kol sat up and grabbed Davina's hand. Placing a gentle kiss on it, he gave her a boyish smile. "And one hell of a witch you are, darling," he murmured, making the brunette turn scarlet again. Not releasing her hand, he hopped off the table and pulled her with him. Once they had exited the cave, Caroline hugged him fiercely.

"It's good to see you, Kol," she smiled. Although she was not as close to him as she was to Elijah, she had still missed him.

"Same here, sister. And don't you dare leave us alone with my grouchy brother again, is that clear?" he grinned.

"Promise."

Elijah and Silv were next to greet the youngest Mikaelson, followed by a bear hug from Rebekah and ad rather curt nod from Damon. Elena and Stefan smiled at Kol before he slowly turned around to face his older brother.

"Nik, I'm sorry." _What? He is still spelled. Or drugged. Or gone loopy. _"I failed. I let them overpower me, and I did not manage to obtain more than one stake before they trapped me. You gave me the responsibility for your town, and…"

"… and you made a mistake. It happens. I will still kick your sorry backside to Kamchatka, do not doubt that for a second, but not right now. We have more important things to do." He paused to look at Kol for a long moment before giving him a quick pat on the shoulder. "Let us leave." With a genuine smile, he looked down at Davina. "Thank you."

* * *

When they finally returned to the hotel, Klaus had made a decision. He turned to their little group and motioned towards the shore. "At some distance down the beach, there is a Beach State Park called John Lloyd. There are no hotels around and it will be relatively solitary at night. I do not want anyone to overhear what I want to speak to all of you about, so let us meet there right after the sun has set." He took a moment to look everyone in the eyes. Everyone, except Damon. "What I will tell you is a matter of life and death for all of us. If any of you has any doubts about standing by my side in this, I would prefer him or her not to join us."

Everyone nodded, and Klaus took Caroline's hand, looking forward to having her to himself for an hour or two. He was still upset about what he had learned this morning, although somewhere deep inside him, he knew he had no right to be. He was not actually angry with Caroline, it was just that the mere thought of someone else's hands on her drove him mad, more so than he had deemed possible. The vision of her moaning in Damon's embrace was enough to make him want to cremate the entire state of Florida. He knew it was childish, but he wanted to hold her in his arms and hear her tell him over and over again that he was the one. The only one. The love of her life. That Damon had meant nothing to her. It was irrational and silly, but he could not help himself.

Just when they were about to leave, he heard Damon clear his throat. "Klaus."

He clenched his teeth and halted, not turning around.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" the younger vampire asked, and Caroline stopped breathing at feeling Klaus tense at her side.

"I have nothing to say to you."

Damon folded his arms over his chest. "But I have. And I don't think it's a great idea for us to face whatever it is we've got to face while secretly wishing to rip each other's head off."

The lad was right, which infuriated Klaus all the more. He whirled around and stared daggers at the older Salvatore who was facing him fearlessly. Then he sensed Caroline's hand on his back, gently running up and down his spine. Scowling at Damon for another moment, he felt himself calm down almost against his will. Her touch had always had that effect on him, whether he wanted it or not, and ever since they had found each other again, it was even more intense. She did not utter a word, she just touched him tenderly and looked up into his face, her eyes full of love and trust. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for an instant before facing Damon.

"We will meet at the Beach Park ahead of everyone else, in forty-five minutes."

With that, he turned around and stalked off towards the elevator, followed by Caroline. Just before the doors closed, he heard Kol ask Elijah, "What was that all about?"

Once inside the privacy of their suite, Klaus dropped into a chair and looked at his wife intently. "I did not want to calm down right now, Caroline. I wanted to be angry, and I wanted to rage. Your touch appeased me anyway. Are you aware of that?"

She nodded. "It's the same for me. Your touch gives me courage and soothes me at the same time. Well, when it's not arousing the hell out of me," she smiled, and he could still not get over how much he had missed her during the time he had had to live without her. Even when he was upset, he could not bear the thought of anything standing between them, which was why he had calmed down so quickly this morning. But this was his Caroline, the woman he loved. Damon was a different cup of tea. He could barely control his fury at the thought of him, and he needed an outlet to vent his… what was it actually? Hurt? Anger? Betrayal? Or plain and simple jealousy? He delved into his feelings, attempting to filter the most predominating emotion.

Jealousy.

Thinking about Tyler Lockwood's paws on Caroline had been bad. But Tyler was a boy, an adolescent high school kid. Damon was something else entirely. He was a man, someone to reckon with, up to a point. Klaus knew that for reasons that completely eluded him, Salvatore the Elder was madly in love with the doppelganger and didn't so much as look at other women, but this was not about logical thinking. He _hated_ the thought of his Caroline with anyone, but even more so with Damon, because he was a competition to take somewhat seriously.

"Niklaus," her pearly voice whispered, making him hold out his hand to her and sigh with contentment when she melted into his embrace, sitting on his lap and resting her head on his shoulder. Only right now, in this very instant, he realized that he adored it when she called him by his full name, and all of a sudden, it dawned on him that she no longer called him Klaus at all. And what he found even more astounding was the fact that he never felt reminded of his stepfather anymore. He had always associated his given name with his parents, with hate and loathing, but… he no longer did. It had become the name he was called by the two people he loved most in the world. The two people who truly loved _him. _He buried his face in Caroline's neck and inhaled her sweet, bewitching scent. In this moment, having her nestled on his lap, holding on to him, giving him her proximity and all but soaking up his warmth, he was seriously asking himself what in the name of the Gods he was actually worried about.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Klaus stood at the shore, his eyes narrowed, watching Damon flash across the sand until he skidded to a halt in front of him. He had to grant it to the lad – there was no mockery, no teasing on his face. That was probably a first.

They stared at each other for a while until Damon broke the silence. "I've said my goodbyes, so if you are planning on tearing my heart out, go right ahead."

Klaus folded his arms over his chest and continued to look at the younger vampire without saying a word.

"Okay, let me spout off, then. What happened between me and Caroline was ages ago, when she was still human. We sort of dated for a short while, broke up, and that was that. I have no interest whatsoever in her other than as a friend and my girl's BFF, and neither has she. Not that I can understand why, but that girl loves you in a way I haven't seen very often." He paused and pointed at Klaus. "And it's not like you haven't had a life before her, isn't that right? We couldn't exactly call you the Original Virgin. I hate to admit it, but I'm not able to hold a candle against you when it comes to the sheer number of booty calls. And thinking of how you actually laid the woman I considered the love of my life before meeting Elena, I'm not sure if you should be pointing fingers at anyone."

A vicious grin spread across Klaus' face. "You are right, mate. Pointing fingers is not the way to deal with this." Without a warning, his fist landed in Damon's face, sending him flying into the ocean. "I am not exactly famous for diplomacy, as you well know," he continued while he flashed into the water and grabbed the lapels of Damon's shirt, "so it is fortunate that you did indeed say your goodbyes." Throwing three quick punches, he released the shirt in time with the third swing, making Damon fly into deeper water. He had no intention of killing the boy, but there was no way in hell he would just hand over an olive branch and give a benign smile.

He had anticipated that Damon would not go down without a fight. Storming out of the water, he slammed into Klaus, intent on knocking him over. With a sneer, the Original stepped aside, grabbing Damon's arm and breaking it in one quick twist. The younger vampire gave a loud yelp of pain but had himself under control immediately, making Klaus incline his head appreciatively. He released Damon, taking a step back and waiting until he heard the distinct sound of mending bones. The older Salvatore was fast enough to almost land a punch in his face even before his arm was fully recovered, but Klaus was not in the mood to play down either his speed or his strength. It was not often that he used his full force with inferior vampires – waste of resources and energy – but he did so whenever he wanted to teach someone a lesson.

They fought for quite a while, although it was an unequal struggle. Damon did not stand a chance, and they both knew it. But it did not keep him from retaliating to the best of his ability, and Klaus recognized that. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw their group in the distance, approaching at human speed. Deciding to put an end to the fight, he raced towards Damon who was facing him, obviously not knowing what to expect, and kicked him in the stomach with all the power he could muster. The lad flew backwards, landing in the water about a hundred yards from where Klaus was standing. Brushing some sand off his shirt, he folded his arms across his chest again and waited for Damon to make his way back to the shore. It was enough now.

Coughing and spitting out sea water, the younger vampire emerged from the ocean, holding his stomach. "Dude, why do I have the feeling that I've never seen you at full throttle before this day?"

"Care for another demonstration?" Klaus demanded, watching Damon remove his shirt and wring it out.

"Hey, I can do this all night, but we'd both miss the war council." Gazing at Klaus, he hesitated for a moment. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder for your vengeful face. So if you think you have a score to settle, Klaus, settle it now, once and for all."

This was what he had actually liked about Damon from the beginning. He had courage, he was not afraid to die and he never tiptoed around the issue. Klaus had come to consider the older Salvatore something remotely resembling a companion, which was why in addition to his suffocating bout of jealousy, he felt betrayed to an extent. What connected him and Damon was not the kind of friendship he had shared with Stefan in the twenties, but a different form of camaraderie. A lighter, more playful one. Elijah had chosen wisely when he had recruited Damon to have an eye on him after Caroline had left. Klaus knew that in his then state of mind, he would not have tolerated anyone but the insouciant, free-spirited Salvatore at his side. And in his heart, he understood that both Caroline and Damon had told him the truth about their feelings for each other – there were none, and there probably never had been.

Caroline was his, and his alone. As she would be until all time ended.

"I think I just have settled said score. But I would highly recommend, Damon, not to get on my nerves anytime soon. I can be rather fickle." With that, he turned towards the approaching group.

"Klaus," Damon said behind him. He turned around. Something was moving on the lad's face and in his eyes, a flicker of… regret?

"What?"

"I… nothing. Forget it."

Klaus scanned Damon's features for a moment before he gave a curt nod.

"I know you have eyes only for the doppelganger, Damon, but let me warn you nonetheless – should you ever even think of touching Caroline again, I will tear out your heart and feed it to the vultures."


	29. War Council

**Bonne Fête Nationale à tous mes lecteurs dans la belle France! :)**

**Thank you so much Bekki, Justine, Tricia (I would be beyond speechless if I really ended up with 1k reviews, so please do have your phone break down a couple more times ;)), Patie and Marie! :)**

**As mentioned before, it makes me sad to think that I have disappointed some readers, and I sincerely hope you will stay with me nonetheless.**

**Happy Sunday everyone, and thank you! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

WAR COUNCIL

She wouldn't tell anyone, but Caroline had not been entirely sure just how far Klaus would take things and was therefore actually a little relieved to find Damon alive when they arrived at the Beach Park. As alive as someone could be after being kicked to the moon by the Original Hybrid. They had all seen Damon fly through the air, and Elena had had to clasp a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming at the sight. Caroline had put an arm around her friend's shoulders, whispering that everything would be fine and that Klaus would never truly harm Damon. _Which is what I really, really hope,_ she had thought to herself. The consequences for Elena would be as devastating as the loss of Klaus would be to her, and that was something she wouldn't wish on her worst enemy, let alone her best friend.

Salvatore the Elder looked like a drowned rat, and Caroline saw Stefan suppress a huge grin at the sight of his brother who was soaking wet and carried his shirt over his shoulder. Elena hurried to Damon's side, taking his face in her hands and examining him closely, pulling him into his arms and sighing with relief. Elijah looked completely relaxed and Kol had a big smirk plastered all over his face. He seemed somewhat pleased about not being on the receiving end of Klaus' tantrum for once. Caroline kept noticing how he never left Davina's side, and she was beginning to ask herself whether something serious was actually developing there.

She walked up to Klaus, taking a good look at him. His denims were wet up to his knees but other than that, there was not a hair out of place. She tried in vain to suppress the thought, but somewhere deep down inside her, the girl who had been compelled, used and almost killed by Damon Salvatore stood in her cheerleading uniform and applauded like crazy. She didn't want Damon to die, but she couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for him having been beaten up like that. There were two events in her life she knew she would never truly forget – what had happened between her and Damon, and the fact that she had been tortured by her own father. Yes, she had forgiven them both, but nothing would ever erase these particular occurrences. _Thank you, my love. Well done. _

Klaus kissed her forehead and looked her in the eyes for a short moment before he motioned for everyone to sit down. Caroline had to stifle a giggle at how the disgust was plain on Elijah's face at having to expose his precious suit to the vicious sand. Silv caught her eye and winked before putting on a sympathetic expression for her poor husband.

"All of you know that something has been brewing for quite a while. Everything that has happened as of late, including Caroline's absence, is in some shape or form related to a plan our dear friends Marcel and Bonnie have devised. It is no secret that they are behind what is going on, but what has been a puzzle so far is the nature of their plan, and it concerns each and every one of us in one way or the other." Klaus looked at all of them before he went on.

"They have the intention of extinguishing the supernatural world as it is in existence today, enabling them to establish a new world order with the two of them as leaders."

Silence descended on the group, and for a while, all that could be heard were the comforting sounds of the sea. Then Stefan shook his head.

"They would need to kill all four of you to annihilate the worldwide vampire population, but that would also mean Marcel's death. So he is willing to die for this plan?"

Inclining his head, Klaus explained. "Yes and no. It would seem that Miss Bennett has found a way to refine the resuscitation spell Prelati used on Henrik and Mikael. You remember that this particular spell was of a temporary nature?" Stefan nodded. "Well, it no longer is. Bonnie has enhanced it in such a way that whoever is resuscitated by her can stay on this plane indefinitely. So yes, Marcel will die, but it will not be for long. The same will happen to his hand-picked followers, whom he has apparently put on that weird list."

Davina was sitting very closely to Kol. Caroline could see the girl shivering at the news, and she was feeling no different herself, even though this was of course not news to her anymore. Still, the impact of the thought remained the same. The witch looked at Klaus and asked, "What about the witches and warlocks? They can't all be killed the way vampires can, by ending the Originals. What will happen to us?"

Clasping his hands behind his back, Klaus began to pace. "Here is where we come into play. I told you that Vicq Samedi, your ancestor, bargained his death for an object he deemed utterly dangerous. That object was a document. A manuscript describing how to create Original Vampires, Witches and Werewolves."

For the second time since they had arrived at the beach, everyone except Elijah, Silv and Caroline was stunned into complete silence. They looked at Klaus, they looked at each other. Then Rebekah spoke up.

"How long have you known about this manuscript, Nik?"

He gazed at his sister evenly. "Since 1718."

"And you didn't deem it necessary to tell us about this?"

"The answer to that is rather obvious, is it not, sister?" He raised his hand when Rebekah began to speak again. "We can discuss this later, if you wish. The document has been well hidden over the last three hundred years and no one on the Plane of the Living knew of it. However, its existence has has now been revealed to Bonnie and Marcel, although they remain ignorant of the exact contents, which works in our favour. They want the manuscript, incidentally called The Original Grimoire, in order to obtain the instructions necessary to eventually turn Bonnie into an Original Witch and Marcel into an Original Vampire, once he has been resuscitated. There is a little catch, however. The one who performs the respective ritual will lose the person he or she loves the very most. If they do not have a loved one, they will lose their own life. Apart from the fact that the existence of the Original Grimoire has not been known to many over the centuries, this is the one reason why it has not often been attempted to create Originals of any kind. Our own mother found death – at my hands, as a matter of fact – for creating us."

"Which means she never truly loved any of us, as none of us died after she created us," Kol interjected stiffly.

Klaus nodded. "Exactly. Now, I have collected the Original Grimoire from its hiding place and have it with me. We will be using it as bait. I would most definitely not want it to fall into their hands, but should that be the case at any point, they will still not be able to perform the rituals. I have omitted one ingredient per recipe from the manuscript, and I am the only one who knows what they are. This is an additional security net. Furthermore, there are three White Oak stakes left, stored in a hidden vault in Marcel's house, protected by an invisibility spell. So here is what will have to happen." He gazed at the group who was listening attentively.

"Elijah and Silv will return to New Orleans, together with Bekah, Elena, Stefan and Damon. After laying low for a day or two, you will all meet at Remy's, sometime around dusk when the place is at its most crowded. You will openly discuss how you have not yet found Kol and that you suspect he has completely fallen off the wagon or whatever it is you can think of. Bekah and Damon, during the course of said conversation, the two of you will begin to argue about how Damon is tired of continuously being pulled into our family feuds, how he will no longer play either babysitter nor private investigator and so on. You will have to fight long and arduously enough for someone to have the chance to inform Marcel. Some of his minions are always at Remy's. Elena will take Rebekah's side, saying that she likes it in New Orleans and wants to stay, Originals or no Originals. Damon will subsequently storm out of the place and appear to be wandering around aimlessly, ending up in whatever bar. Not Rousseau's, though, for that would be far too obvious. Once Marcel finds you, and he will, be your usual obnoxious self. Only very gradually must you allow him to wheedle some comments out of you as to how the Original family is the worst thing that ever happened to the planet, if only there was a way to get rid of us all without killing the entire vampire race etcetera."

Damon shook his head. "Everyone knows I've been herding you for weeks. Why would he believe that I suddenly made a hundred and eighty degree turn?"

"I compelled you to watch over Niklaus," Elijah interjected. "You can let that slip into the conversation at some point, or even into the fight with Rebekah, making it one of the reasons why you are so upset."

Giving his brother a quick grin, Klaus went on. "You need to attempt to somehow get into his good graces and work on prying all the information you can from him. You do share the same preferences, namely alcohol, blood and a certain tendency towards boisterous celebrations. Marcel is not stupid, but he can also be surprisingly blind when it comes to reading people. It has always been one of his greatest weaknesses. More than once has he fallen for skilled acting, and I believe you are up to that task."

Caroline saw Elena look at Damon with worried eyes, clutching his hand. She understood that her friend didn't like the idea of her man in the middle of the lion's den. He was no indestructible Original. But then again, he was Damon. He always managed to come out on the other end.

"Elena, you will spend as much time as possible at Remy's. You are upset about Damon's rapport with Marcel, and you will audibly complain about it. Befriend Remy, let him introduce you to the other patrons and try to overhear their conversations for anything of interest, no matter how absurd it may sound."

"But I can't just sit around there all day, people would become suspicious at some point," Elena argued.

Klaus acknowledged her objection with an inclination of his head. "That is true indeed. A good point." He turned to Elijah. "Speak to Remy. Ask him to take her on as a temporary apprentice. She wants to learn more about the world of the supernatural, and where better than his bar blah blah. Call in a favour if necessary, he owes me a few. And… you might want to weave in a remark about Elena being Caroline's best friend. I am certain he will want to know the minute she has been found, and he may also just have the desire to simply talk about her."

Both Elena and Elijah nodded, although Elena's eyes were puzzled. The brunette looked at Caroline and mouthed, 'Remy?' Caroline shrugged and raised her hands. She had never told her friend that she suspected the bartender to be a little infatuated with her.

"Next," Klaus continued. "Davina. I know that this will not be easy, but you will have to seek out Bonnie for advice on some complicated pieces of magic Silv will help you pick. No one will associate you with our family, so you are relatively safe. You have been seen with Kol a few times, but with no one else, and as everyone knows, Kol is outwardly no longer considered part of the family."

"Nik, she is not ready to confront the Bennett witch," Kol objected. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"I can speak for myself, thank you, Kol," Davina muttered, making him huff and pulling a grin from everyone. "What do you want me to do, Klaus?"

With a genuine, appreciative smile, Klaus replied, "Bonnie will not trust you, so it does not make overly much sense for you to attempt to get information out of her. But by asking her for advice on spells and curses, you will have the opportunity to assess her strengths and weaknesses as a witch, the spells she customarily uses and so on. Limit your every conversation to magic. Tell her you have no true mentor and that despite the fact that you are a White Witch, you want to learn the neutral magic from the most powerful witch in existence."

"And if she asks about Kol?"

"Explain to her that he has made a pass at you, and that you went out with him a few times out of fear – he is an Original, and he can make anyone do whatever he wants them to. Confess that you are glad he is gone, but do not take the topic any further. And now, Davina, this is absolutely imperative." He paused, and the witch looked at him expectantly. "Do not, under _any_ circumstances, let her persuade you to perform any spells even remotely related to Black Magic. I will explain the reason to you in due course, but for now, remember that this is vital."

Davina nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. Caroline wasn't sure whether it had been a misperception, but it seemed to her that Kol had slid infinitesimally closer to the brunette. Watching the two of them out of the corner of her eye, she returned her attention to Klaus.

"Once Damon is admitted into Marcel's home, which might take a while, he will inconspicuously work on finding that hidden vault. Knowing Marcel, it is not an overly elaborate place, more something along the lines of bad espionage films. Paintings, tapestries, false cupboards. When you find it, Damon, do _not_ attempt to open it yourself. Marcel and his flunkies will turn you into sawdust within the blink of an eye, and that has to remain my privilege." Damon rolled his eyes. "Remember Marcel is older than you are, therefore stronger – and he was taught by me." Ignoring a huff from the older Salvatore, Klaus went on. "You will inform Elijah once you have found the vault."

Looking at his younger brother evenly, Elijah nodded. "Golden Horde or Viet Minh?" he simply asked, a grin playing around his lips.

With a light chuckle, Klaus said, "Viet Minh."

"Guys," Caroline grumbled, shaking her head, "you know I always appreciate the NSA routine, but would you mind..?"

Giving her a tender smile, Klaus explained, "The Golden Horde was a Mongol group famous for just running over every stretch of land they wanted to conquer, not really bothering with tactics or strategies but relying on their superior force. It is one way of conducting a war when you know you have the strength and the numbers. Contrary to that, the Viet Minh in Vietnam managed to rage a decade-long war against just about everyone by mainly using guerilla tactics. Attacks from ambush, hitting quickly, quietly and effectively. This is the kind of military strategy you apply when you are short in numbers or want to avoid attention."

"You should wear a uniform," she muttered, pulling a quick laugh from him.

"That can be arranged, my love. Now, Elijah – you will get the stakes once you know where they are. Waste no time whatsoever. Get out of his house, leave no traces so he will not immediately be alarmed, and burn the bloody things the second you are out of sight. Marcel's inner circle is on vervain, so you will have to kill them if necessary. And now there is an angle to this scenario that will not meet your approval, brother, but I believe it will be essential."

Elijah gave Klaus a quizzical look and considered for a moment. Then his eyes narrowed, and he pursed his lips. "I will most definitely not allow that. Find another way, Niklaus."

Everyone's gaze moved back and forth between the brothers, trying to figure out what they were talking about, when Silv's face suddenly lit up. "Of course. Do not worry, Elijah, I will be perfectly fine. Damon will be there, and knowing you, I can be certain you will not be far."

_He wants to use Silv as bait? The brunette distraction?_

Shaking his head, the older Original briefly cupped his wife's cheek. "I know you are brave, and I know you can hold your own, my lovely, but I will not have you step into enemy territory with no protection other than Mr. Salvatore here. No offense," he gestured in Damon's general direction without taking his eyes off Silv.

"Hey, your brother is the damn Original Hybrid! Everyone would have gone airborne after a kick like that!" Damon fired back, sounding offended after all.

"Doubtful," Elijah retorted. "Niklaus, we will need to find an alternative."

Silv straightened and folded her arms over her chest. "When exactly have you started making my decisions for me, Elijah Mikaelson? I am no longer a witch, so I can't be of much help in that department, but I will most definitely not be left out, and I will do what needs to be done. Anything in particular you want me to say to him, Klaus?"

His jaw setting, Elijah gave her a we-will-talk-about-this look, and Caroline had to suppress a grin at seeing Silv stare back at him with an expression of if-you-believe-you-can-talk-me-out-of-this-think-a gain.

"Just attempt to command his attention as much as possible, which I do not think should be too hard. We know he fancies you, and he will be delighted to grab the opportunity to make another pass at you. If he lets down his guard, all the better, but limit it to distracting him and do not try to pull information from him, for he might notice. And do not stage any fights with Elijah beforehand, just be relatively quiet and do not speak to each other much whenever you are in public. No one would believe the two of you fighting like alleycats in front of everyone."

"Understood," Silv nodded, studiously ignoring Elijah's stony face.

Klaus looked at his sister now. "Bekah, you will follow both Silv and Davina's every move. Remain close to them at all times and listen carefully to everything that happens. You cannot be seen, but you must watch over them. Kill anyone who puts so much as a finger on either of them." Rebekah gazed at the two women reassuringly and gave her brother a quick smile.

"Of course. Silv, Davina, we will need to coordinate exactly when either of you will be going out. Davina, as you do not live under our roof, you will have to notify me every time you plan on leaving the house. I assume your place is spelled against intruders, and no vampire has ever been invited in?"

"No vampire except for Kol," the witch replied, and Caroline saw a small smile on Kol's face. _Something is most definitely going on there._

"Good. You will need to invite me in as well, just in case Bonnie or anyone breaks your protective spells. It is highly unlikely, but let us be thorough."

Briefly brushing a hand over Caroline's hair, Klaus inclined his head in agreement. "Now, Stefan. Would you mind heading back to Mystic Falls and have a conversation with Tyler? I need him and especially Hayley to speak to the packs in the greater New Orleans area. There is one up in Fairview, another one around Golden Meadow and an especially large one in Plaquemine. If it comes to a fight between us and Marcel's troops and it happens to be around full moon, I am not overly keen on having to watch my back because the packs consider this their golden opportunity to get rid of me. Go and see them together, and if you detect only the faintest hint of doubt in any wolf's eyes, take them down. I mean it, Stefan. I will give you sufficient supplies of my blood so you won't need to avoid any fights."

Caroline could see her friend was uncomfortable with the idea. "Why don't you just go ahead and kill Marcel… and Bonnie?" he asked warily, and there were some nods around the group.

"Bonnie will need to stay alive for the time being, for reasons I will divulge to everyone at a later stage. Killing Marcel right now would be relatively redundant, as Bonnie can resuscitate him as many times as she likes. He will die when Bonnie has accomplished what I need her to do, and we will then impede her from resuscitating him."

"Sounds complicated," Stefan interjected.

With a light shrug, Klaus agreed. "I am aware of it. The plan might still be amended at some point, and I have not finally decided on each and every detail. But first and foremost, the stakes will have to go."

"Then how is Bonnie supposed to kill us all? Once the stakes are destroyed, she can give up on her plan, as there is no possibility left to get rid of us," Rebekah said with a frown.

Klaus was silent for a moment, and Caroline gently touched his calf, running her hand over the length of it and seeing him smile down at her. Then he looked at his siblings one by one. "There is another way to kill us which I will explain to the two of you later on, in private. No offense, everyone else, but I would like to keep this knowledge within the family. Should the need arise, I will tell all of you, but for now, I have to admit to feeling more comfortable with not sharing this unless absolutely necessary."

It was not that she couldn't understand him, but Caroline felt a little bad for her friends. They trusted Klaus' plans, but he didn't yet seem to trust them enough to inform them about everything of relevance. And it was only now that she realized he hadn't mentioned the fact that he would be able to destroy the Other Side once their Signum turned golden.

"What about me?" Kol suddenly asked. "What do you want me to do?"

Turning towards his younger brother, Klaus clasped his hands behind his back. "You can't be seen in New Orleans for now. None of us can," he motioned towards Caroline, Kol and himself, "and we need to keep up pretenses for another while. They believe you are safely stowed away in the Everglades, so I do not assume they will come looking for you anytime soon, Kol. It is very probable that you were supposed to be used as a bargaining counter for the Original Grimoire. So now you, too, will go into a nice little round of guerilla war."

Kol's eyes were beginning to shine. This seemed to be an assignment to his liking. "Doing what exactly?" he inquired.

"As mentioned, only Marcel's inner circle is on vervain, therefore everyone else is exposed. You will compel them, one by one, telling them about the existence of Marcel's ridiculous God-Gifted List without letting them know what exactly it is. Be very vague. There have to be some rumours circulating, as was proven by Damon's conversation with the swamp vampires, but I seriously doubt anyone other than Bonnie and Marcel is aware of the true nature of this list. Be that as it may, Marcel's flunkies need to be utterly convinced that it is vital for them to be in their master's good graces, and that each and every one is a competitor for his favour, even their best friends. Make them fight one another, make them go for each other's throats. Whenever Marcel steps in or asks what they are fighting about, they will name a different reason every time. Jealousy, insults, stealing, whatever you can think of, as long as it doesn't sound suspicious to Marcel. He needs to be very busy settling the fights and reestablishing order among his flunkies." He paused and gestured towards his younger brother. "You have to be very quick, very thorough and well-camouflaged. No one must see you, no one must remember you. Get in fast, get out fast. Whenever you compel someone, do ascertain they are not on vervain. Cut their hands off, do whatever you like, but smell their blood first. Should you encounter anyone on vervain, kill them and let the body disappear. Understood?"

With an enthusiastic nod, Kol grinned broadly. "Consider it done."

Klaus suppressed a smile at his all-too-eager brother. Caroline really didn't like the thought of all the killings that might need to happen, and she tried to tell herself that any of Marcel's followers would kill each and every one of them without blinking, too. If Marcel and Bonnie succeeded, _which they wouldn't_, everyone would be dying anyway. She sighed and thought of Klaus' promise to put down the weapons for a while once all this was over. God, she couldn't wait! No war councils, no family and friends in danger, just the two of them enjoying each other. Would it ever happen?

"Caroline and I will be staying in Natchez. It is far enough to be off Marcel's radar but we can still be in New Orleans in less than three hours. I will craft a new copy of the Original Grimoire which will be the one handed to them eventually. It is imperative that Bonnie believes she requires an Original Witch to kill us, for reasons I will also divulge to all of you at a later stage, and I will adapt the document accordingly. There are a few more things I need to research as well, and I cannot have either Marcel or Bonnie breathing down my neck. I want all of you, every single one, to be in constant contact. No solo performances. Once I have the entire picture, we will reconvene. As always, plans are subject to adaption should circumstances change."


	30. A Matter of Trust

**Ah, you know what? I finished writing an additional chapter today, and I will leave on a business trip so I am not sure whether I will be able to update tomorrow.**

**Therefore... here you go. :)**

**Please enjoy.**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

A MATTER OF TRUST

They had been in Natchez for little over a week now, staying in a plantation style hotel on the outskirts of the town, right on the edge of a forest and not far from the Mississippi. It was quiet and peaceful, giving Klaus the possibility to truly concentrate on his work on the Original Grimoire forgery. The entire hotel staff and all other guests had been compelled not to remember that they were actually here. Caroline spent her days poring over some books she had borrowed from the local library, reading about myths and symbols of all kinds. She was trying to find out what could possibly make the Signum turn golden, but after reading the third book in about as many days, she had not made any progress. She was losing herself in the most complicated scenarios, but the longer she thought about it, the more she was convinced that in the end, it would turn out to be something totally simple.

From time to time, she just sat in an armchair, watching Klaus create an amazing new work of art, for the Original Grimoire forgery was nothing less than that. He had told her about how he had put the Voynich manuscript together, and how he had coded his first copy of the Original Grimoire in the same way, having the code translated into Aramaic. He said that while it was not impossible to decode the document, it was certainly time-consuming, and Bonnie would need to decipher the manuscript relatively quickly once it was in her possession, which made it necessary to write it anew. The way he all but painted the new document was incredibly fascinating, and watching him at work made her think that she had had no idea just how talented he actually was.

Their friends and family reported regularly. They had waited for a few days after their return to New Orleans, going about their usual daily business so as not to draw attention to them. Very gradually, they were now beginning to execute their assigned tasks. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Caroline wasn't able to help a big grin when listening to Klaus' phone conversation with Kol. He had called to ask Klaus whether he should include the swamp vampires in his compulsion campaign, but Klaus had decided against it. Their minds were too far afield, he had argued, and they would not be drawn into any conflicts. No one wanted them on their side anyway. But the next bit of conversation turned out to be very entertaining.

_"I will check on Davina whenever I am in town," _Kol mentioned fleetingly just before hanging up.

"You will most definitely not. Bekah is looking after her, and you will spend no more time in town than absolutely necessary, Kol."

_"What if Bekah is busy watching Silv and has no time?"_

There was a brief silence before Klaus sat up and narrowed his eyes. "What is going on between you and Davina?"

_"I don't think this is any of your business, big brother, or do you hear me asking you which way around you and Caroline did it this morning?"_

Caroline's eyes widened, and she clasped a hand over her mouth to refrain herself from giggling. Klaus rose from his chair, his voice raised. "Kol, have you bedded her?"

_"And what if I have?"_

"Then I will not only kick your ass to be mauled by the bloody Kamchatkan bears, I will cement you and drop you in the Marianas afterwards! You will keep your hands and all other body parts off her until I tell you otherwise!"

Now Caroline was turning crimson from the suppressed laughter at imagining Kol's face on the other end of the line.

_"Okay, Nik, I know you're a bit of a control freak, but now you are seriously telling me what to do and not to do with my… ah… hands? Aren't you currently getting any, or what?"_

She saw Klaus' jaw set and knew she would have to calm him down a little, otherwise he would really start bossing Kol around which would probably result in the younger Mikaelson doing exactly what he wasn't supposed to do. She remembered the first stanza in the primeval Original Grimoire, speaking of an untouched witch. Was Davina the one? And how did Klaus know? Well, if she was, it was definitely not such a good idea for Kol to play American Gigolo, at least not right now. But Klaus wouldn't achieve anything if he continued to snap at his brother like that.

"That is _really_ none of your business, brother," he hissed, and Caroline could hear Kol snicker on the other end.

_"So that means I am right. Poor Nik. Would you like some advice on how to get out of the doghouse?"_

Quickly rising from the armchair, Caroline gave her husband a mischievous grin and walked over to the huge four-poster bed. Slowly sitting down on the edge, she began to unbutton her blouse. Klaus' eyes followed her every move, and he was biting his lips when she shed the garment and displayed her bright red lace bra underneath. 'Wanna get some?' she mouthed, cocking a brow and delighting at seeing him stifle a laugh.

"Look, Kol, can you for once just trust my judgment and… ah…" Caroline was slipping one hand inside the cup of her bra and freed her breast. "…ah… not do what your…" She moistened one finger with her tongue and languidly ran it over her hardening nipple, making his eyes widen. And the bulge in his pants grow considerably.

_"Nik, please tell me you are stuttering because Caroline is taking off her clothes and not because you want to give me The Talk!"_

Klaus was walking towards her now, desire blazing from his eyes. 'The other one,' he mouthed, causing her brain to shortcircuit as she freed her other breast under his hungry gaze, leaving the bra in place. Looking up at him, she licked her lips, waiting. 'Touch them,' he said silently, making her shiver. When she began to stroke and knead her breasts, she saw his lips part.

"What did you say?" he asked, completely distracted, and Caroline heard Kol chuckle on the other end.

_"The former, obviously. Tell my sister I bow to her superior expertise in _conversing_ with you, brother. I'll call again later."_

"Uh-huh." Klaus broke the connection and flung the phone onto the nightstand. "Well, my lovely little tramp, is that all you can do to distract a man from crucifying his brother?"

"What do you want?" Caroline giggled, "It worked perfectly well!"

"What I want," he murmured huskily, "is to touch you. It has been far too long."

Her eyes widened again. "It has been _three hours_!" _An eternity._

"Far too long." He approached her, pulling his Henley over his head and making the butterflies ignite inside her stomach at the sight of his bare chest. All of a sudden, a thought crossed her mind, and she blushed furiously. He didn't miss it. _Of course not._ With a grin, he demanded, "What is on your mind that makes you turn such a delicious shade of burgundy?"

Clearing her throat, she muttered, "Remember the day we flew to the Perito Moreno? On the plane?"

Running a hand from her cheek to her shoulders, he nodded. "Of course I do. So you would like to watch me pleasure myself, then?" _Can I turn any redder? _

"Yes," she whispered, lowering her gaze in acute embarrassment. There were still a few things that weren't easy for her to say, even though there was nothing awkward about _doing_ them. He cupped her face and lifted it to make her look at him.

"I said it once, and I will say it again, my beautiful Caroline. Do not ever be ashamed of telling me what you want and what you need. I love it when you do that, and there is nothing I would ever deny you." He bent down to kiss her very deeply, leaving her gasping for breath and wide-eyed at how he had managed to remove his pants without her noticing while his lips had been setting hers on fire.

Sitting on the bed, he moved to lean against the headboard, his eyes never leaving hers. Caroline's lips parted slightly as his hand began to softly stroke his already rigid cock. Unconsciously, she gripped the sheets as she imagined it to be her hand that caressed his beautiful, hard length. She watched in fascination as he gradually began to grip his cock fully, starting to pump in a very slow rhythm. His breathing deepened, and she felt her own breath accelerate.

"When was the first time you thought of me while touching yourself?" she murmured hoarsely, her eyes glued to his hand that was steadily gliding up and down. Something told her she wouldn't be able to let him finish it alone, but for now…

Panting slightly, he whispered, "Two nights after we first danced together."

Caroline moved her hands back to her breasts, incredibly turned on by the thought of touching herself while he was doing the same. Slowly, one of her hands slid down towards the hem of her skirt, slipping beneath it… and beneath her panties. Her hand was covered by the skirt, but he inhaled sharply at seeing it move underneath the thin fabric. His rhythm increased, and he gave a low moan at the sight.

"I wanted to think about you, so many times…" she whispered breathlessly, "way before I finally did it in Tromsø. I never allowed myself to. But the first night I wanted to do this with you on my mind was… after the Decade Dance. After you told me you were leaving. I hated myself for wanting you so much that night." Licking her lips, she gasped at seeing him grip his cock harder at her words. He was pumping faster now, his eyes sparkling.

"Let me see," he rasped, sending a quick tremor through her. Caroline pulled up her skirt so he could see her hand working herself beneath the lace panties. Groaning at the sight, his free hand fisted in the sheets while he continued to touch himself roughly. Caroline was fleetingly wondering if she had ever seen anything so sexy – he was _hot _doing this! Which was when she realized that she couldn't bear it any longer. In a blur, she was on him, not bothering to remove her panties, just pushing them aside before she took his glorious cock inside her throbbing depths.

Klaus' hand was on her clit immediately, and they both moaned in unison as they slammed into each other at an exquisite rhythm.

"More," Caroline hissed, her hips moving frantically against his, "more, Niklaus!"

He shoved her onto the mattress and pulled her legs onto his shoulders, taking her wrists into one hand and pinning them high above her head. His hips rolled against hers, and he pounded into her dripping depths, changing his angle with every thrust until she saw little stars exploding behind her eyes.

"More what?" he growled in a deep, burning voice. "More of what?"

"This… you… oh, just fuck me, my love!"

Her last two words seemed to send him into a complete frenzy. His eyes turned yellow, his double fangs descended, and with a guttural snarl, he buried them in her neck, drinking greedily, never ceasing to moan with every little gust of blood that touched his tongue, Pulling her head up, he guided her towards his own neck, and Caroline needed no more coercion before she bit him brutally and began to suck his succulent, incredible blood in harmony with his wild thrusts. _How has it become more delicious again?_

He dragged out their release. Whenever he felt she was about to climax, he changed his angle until she was so desperate she was about to slip a hand between them to make herself come. Only then did he begin to hit her G-spot again and again, absorbing her cries with his kisses. With his final, deep, hard thrust, his hands slipped beneath her and pressed her up against him.

Caroline's back arched from the mattress at the same moment he pulled her up, holding her on his lap while their climaxes turned all of their limbs into a shaky, shivery mess. They held on to each other like drowning people before dropping back onto the mattress, panting and sweating… and wildly happy.

"Niklaus?"

"Hmm?"

"You could make a ton of money doing this professionally."

"Caroline?"

"Yeah?"

"Where do you think the family fortune stems from?"

There was nothing like loving, light-hearted laughter in each other's arms.

* * *

Later that day, Klaus had called Elijah and asked him to speak to Kol. Usually, the youngest Mikaelson brother listened to Elijah, and the matter was too important to Klaus to leave anything untried. Caroline had asked him how he knew that Davina was indeed a virgin, which she thought to be amazing for a girl as lovely as the witch, and Klaus had just shrugged.

"I do not know with absolute finality, but having encountered one or two maidens in my time, I am fairly certain. However, if I let Kol find out, it will be too late. When all this is over, I shall be happy to walk her down the aisle, buy them a waterbed or explain to Kol how things are done, but for now, he truly needs to keep it in his pants."

"If she really is a virgin," Caroline had replied, "I can't imagine that she will succumb to him so easily."

Klaus had grinned, and she thought she had detected a hint of pride in his face when he sighed, "Do not underestimate my little brother's allure with the ladies. Especially with those who are already infatuated with him as it is."

"It might help if you told them what this is about, Niklaus."

"Not yet."

After dinner, Klaus resumed his work on the Original Grimoire while Caroline called Elena who couldn't talk much as she was still at Remy's and everyone at that place was always listening to everyone else's conversations. When she hung up, Caroline moved an armchair to the window and grabbed a blanket, huddling deep into the chair and gazing into the velvety darkness. An instant later, she felt his hands on her shoulders and his lips on her hair. She covered his hands with hers and leaned into his embrace.

"I won't be too long," he murmured.

She shook her head. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

Caroline closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift. What had actually happened for the Signum to turn silver? It had been the first night after their separation and it had been incredibly intense. She had cried in his arms over the sheer intimacy between them. And… there had been this moment, right before the first grey had tentatively touched the horizon, when he she had held him in her arms, his head resting in the curve of _her_ shoulder for once. All of a sudden, he had whispered, _"I trust you, my love."_ Only that, nothing else, and it had made her melt more than anything else. She knew that he showed her his weaknesses like he had never displayed them in front of anyone, not even Elijah. He had learned to trust her never to take advantage of them, and whatever little barriers had still been between them, she was sure they had crumbled that night. They had bared their souls, not with many words but through every look, every touch, every kiss. It had been almost like reading each other's minds, seeing deep into one another's heart. _You seriously need to stop reading those cheesy novels, Caroline!_

_Wait a minute. Reading each other's minds. Seeing into our hearts. There is something here… something… but what? Heart. Soul. Mind. Seeing. Seeing into his heart. His soul. His mind. Seeing into his mind. Seeing his thoughts. His… dreams. Dreams. Nightmares. Can I… chase his nightmares away by giving him another dream instead, the way he did for me back in Norway? We are so deeply bonded by now, maybe this will actually work! _

She sat up and tore her eyes wide open. It could well be possible. She remembered how she had wondered whether she could give him dreams, too, and he had replied that he didn't know because no one had ever tried, but with his being an Original, he was certain it was not possible, just the way he could never be compelled. And when she had timidly asked him if he would let her try, he had said no. Klaus had been so afraid of giving up part of his control, and he still was. But they had come a long way since then – he no longer minded relinquishing control when they were making love. In fact, sometimes she felt he had even come to like the moments he completely gave himself into her hands. Still, in everything else it was hard for him, at times even with her.

The more Caroline thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. He was suffering so badly from his nightmares, even though he tried to brush them off as routine. But she saw his haunted eyes every time he woke and pressed himself to her, seeking solace and comfort in her warmth. Those dreams may have been going on for six hundred years, but they were far from being routine. Ever since she had seen what he saw, she had understood that no one, not even the almighty Klaus, could ever get used to that kind of cruelty.

She would try. The next time she woke, finding him convulsing and begging for his brother's life, she would pull him into her arms and try to give him a dream of beauty, peace and love. Something far from the tainted room he had faced all those centuries ago and never stopped confronting in his sleep. And if it worked, she would gladly spend the rest of eternity giving him some rest.

* * *

Two nights later, Klaus did have another nightmare. They didn't happen every single night, but he was never without them for more than three nights in a row. It seemed to be truly gruesome tonight, for when Caroline awoke, she found him thrashing and fighting against invisible restraints, tears running down his cheeks. Her heart broke at the sight of his agonized face. Sitting up against the headboard, she carefully pulled him into her arms, resting his head on her chest and embracing him tightly. It occurred to her then that she had no idea whatsoever how this actually worked, as she had never given a dream to anyone. Well, she would just have to try. How hard could it be?

Gently pressing her lips to his damp forehead, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

_Henrik was staring at him, his eyes glassy, almost broken. But there was still a remainder of life in them, and that last little spark was… hate. Henrik hated him for being such a useless coward. Now Gilles de Rais was coming up behind the boy again, his grin as cruel as ever, holding a new torture instrument. Klaus' eyes widened with horror when he saw what it was, and he felt the madness creeping up inside his head at not being able to move. No, please! I will do whatever it is you want, de Rais… Prelati… MIKAEL. I will do anything, just let him go! His silent screams remained unheard, for he could not form a word. He was condemned to watch, condemned to see the hatred, the suffering, the panic in his baby brother's eyes when de Rais ran the instrument over his battered body…_

_Suddenly, the room was gone. There was no more pain, no more lurking insanity, no more tainted darkness. He looked around himself in wonder. Paris. He was in Paris, seated on a bench at one of his preferred spots, the tip of the small Île Saint_-_Louis in the middle of the Seine. The sky was spotlessly blue, a cool, soothing breeze whispered through the trees and he did not have a care in the world. He turned to his right, his heart flaring at the sight of his Caroline. She was snugly nestled in his arm, one hand softly caressing his chest, looking at the calmly meandering waters of the river. _

_"I don't think even Rome can compete with this," she whispered quietly. "And I can't wait for you to show me each and every corner of Paris, my love."_

_"Are you just giving me a dream, Caroline?"_

_She nodded, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry, you know I've never been to Paris, so this is probably not very accurate, but I thought… as you love it so much…"_

_With an astonished smile, he pulled her closer. "This is quite close to reality, my darling. So you remembered the description of one of my favourite places… it is very impressive."_

_Caroline looked adorably sheepish as she admitted, "I actually googled it after you described it to me. This is from one of the pictures I saw."_

_He chuckled. "I am truly looking forward to being here with you, huddled together like this, taking in the air, the sounds and the sights. And once you have seen it for yourself, I will give you a dream about how it looked in earlier centuries."_

_Her eyes were shining, and he thought his chest would burst with his feelings for his wonderful girl. And yet, something made him uncomfortable. He took her hand and kissed it, looking back at the city, suppressing a chuckle at how she had placed the Île de la Cité to their right rather than to their left where it actually belonged, but it could not have been more perfect to him. She could not have been more perfect._

_"Ready to go back?" she asked softly, kissing his cheek again and lingering for a moment._

_"No. But I will have to, I'm afraid."_

_"When you will open your eyes, the first thing you will hear is…"_

_"… that I love you, Niklaus." She saw his eyes flutter open, disoriented for one split second before they focused on her face. His hand searched for hers, and their fingers intertwined. He sat up and ran his other hand through his hair while looking at her incredulously._

_"How did you do that? It should not be possible, just as it is not possible for anyone to compel me, not even for my siblings."_

_Caroline shook her head. "I have no idea. The thought hit me a couple of days ago when I was trying to figure out what had to happen for our Signum to turn silver, and something triggered the idea of wanting to try to give you a dream to chase away the nightmare. I didn't know it would actually work, and I have never done it before, so I just concentrated and… well, you saw the result."_

_She could see he was looking decidedly distressed at the thought of having his mind manipulated in any way. "I am not sure I like this, to be perfectly honest. Please do not misunderstand me, I am very grateful for your interruption of the nightmare, and the dream was lovely, my sweet little one. But the fact that anyone can invade my head makes me utterly uneasy."_

_Anger rose inside her now, and she knew it showed in her eyes. She pulled her hand from his and moved a few inches away from him. "So now I am anyone?" she asked coolly, pressing her lips together._

_ "Do not be ridiculous, of course you are not, and you are perfectly well aware that this is not what I meant. But this is my mind, and my mind has always been private. It has always been the one thing I have had ultimate control over, and I am not thrilled at the prospect of surrendering some of that control."_

A wave of disappointment flooded through her, and she moved off the bed, pulling a sheet around her before she turned to face him again. Ever since they had moved in together, she had never covered herself in front of him, but all of a sudden, she felt strangely exposed. "This is _me_, Niklaus. The woman who loves you and whom you claim to love in equal measure. The woman who has opened herself up to you in a way so absolute you merely have to look at her to know what she is thinking and feeling. _Me,_ goddammit!"

"I am aware of that," he snapped. "But may I kindly remind you of your one absolute rule, a rule that also applies to me, the man who does not only _claim_ to love you, but who loves you in a way he would happily die for you? _No compulsion._ Now pray explain to me how this is any different from the way I perceive the invasion of _my_ mind?"

She whirled around, one hand on her hip, the other holding up the sheet, and glared at him, her eyes blazing. "Do it, then. Compel me." She took two steps towards him, her eyes fixed on his incredulous face. "I trust you, Niklaus. Implicitly, unquestioningly. I know you will never harm me, and that includes my heart and my mind. Compel me."

He was silent for a very long moment. Then he got off the bed and stepped up to her, standing very close. Caroline looked up at him fearlessly. The moment she had said it, she had finally recognized the truth – she _did_ trust him, even in this. As she was staring into his face now, she saw the man she loved, the man she relied on, the man who would never take advantage of her weaknesses. Who would protect her from anything. And she saw him understand that she trusted him with every fiber of her being.

"Caroline," he murmured, "give me time. You know I trust you, my darling, but this is the heritage of one thousand years' worth of suspicion, mistrust and paranoia. I confide in you more than I ever did in anyone else, and I am deeply grateful for your trust in me. My heart knows you will never betray me, but it would seem it will still take some time for that knowledge to completely settle inside my mind."

With a nod, she took a step back. On one hand, she understood him, but she also couldn't help feeling very hurt by his confession that he did not trust her as absolutely as she trusted him. And she wanted some distance for a moment. She couldn't be without him for long, even knowing what she had just learned, but she needed a little time to herself.

Walking over to the closet, she pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants. "I will go for a walk, if you don't mind. I won't be long. I just need some air." When she emerged from the bathroom, he was still standing in the same spot, looking crestfallen.

"Caroline, I am sorry. Please don't…" he didn't finish the sentence, but she could clearly see what was on his mind. Her eyes softened for an instant.

"I am not leaving. As I said, I just need some air." Without another word, she exited the room and flashed out of the hotel, down towards the Mississippi until she had found a long stretch of embankment suitable for walking. Slowing down to human speed, she let her eyes wander, taking in the wide river, the dark trees framing the shore and the scattered lights on the opposite side. For a moment, she idly wondered how long it would take her to swim to the other side and back at vampire speed, but then her thoughts returned to the earlier events.

She knew that Klaus had always gone out of his way when it came to her. He had fought down his doubts, his fears and what he had experienced over a millennium to allow their love, their intimacy, their _bond_ to happen. It was probably why she was so hurt – she was used to him going to so decidedly against everything he had come to believe of himself and others over the centuries, and he had opened up to her in a way she could never have dreamed of. But the fact that there was one little piece of Big Bad Hybrid Klaus he was still holding on to within their relationship made her feel incredibly sad. Ever since they had gotten together, she had done nothing whatsoever to trigger his mistrust, had she?

_Ahm… you left him, Caroline? You didn't just ignore all the threats and dangers and went to him to fight things together, did you? You know what he is like, and you know how deep down, your leaving conveyed to him that he was not worth facing the dangers. However wrong and twisted it sounds, but that was exactly what he felt. _

Sitting on a fallen tree trunk, she ran a hand through her hair. He was so patient with her, always and with everything, and so was she with him most of the time. Didn't he deserve her patience now, too? This was a big deal for him. The mere thought of relinquishing control, especially after he had been so completely helpless in the face of what had happened to Henrik, must be terrifying for him.

Maybe she was just a little ahead of him when it came to building trust. She had lived for two decades and her trust and other issues were severe, so how could he be expected to just overcome centuries of this in a matter of mere months? Shaking her head at herself, she picked up a pebble and tossed it into the river. Of course she would give him time, just the way he would give it to her. She was already starting to feel sorry for having been so cold towards him earlier – he really didn't deserve her childish pouting.

Just when she was about to walk back, she heard a faint sound behind her. Before she could turn around, she found herself in a stranglehold. Fighting against the arm around her throat, she understood she wasn't strong enough. _Vampire. Older than me, therefore stronger. Who is that?_

"Hey there, little lady, all alone in the middle of the night? How very imprudent of you. These waters are treacherous, and the shores are even more so." He had a strong Southern accent, and his voice sounded ancient somehow.

"What do you want?" Caroline choked out, still fighting against the iron hold.

There was a small chuckle right at her ear. "A little chat, if you do not mind, Caroline."

Her eyes widened. "You know who I am?"

She was released from the stranglehold, and rubbing her throat, she turned around to face her attacker. Tall, dark-haired, robust. A little shabby. She had never seen him before. He was chuckling again now, a high-pitched cackle that sounded oddly familiar.

"What kind of woman would not know her own daughter-in-law?" he asked amusedly, his voice another pitch higher now.

_Esther!_

She ignored the sharp pang of fear that rushed through her, reminding herself that Esther was not able to do any magic while invading humans' or vampires' bodies. Still, this was the Original Witch. _And your freaking mother-in-law! _Suppressing a hysterical giggle at the thought, she tried to make her voice sound even as she inclined her head.

"Mrs. Mikaelson. How, ah, _nice_ to see you again. I'm a little curious," she added, not quite sure where she took her courage from, "why is it always men's bodies?"

The vampire shrugged. "Change of perspective, maybe. Or mere convenience. He came in handy. So, I assume you had a fight with Niklaus, which is why you are wandering around all by yourself?"

"As if you didn't know."

With another chuckle, the vampire shook his head. "I cannot watch all my children continuously, that is unfortunately not how it works."

Caroline sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Not that it is any of your business, but we did not really fight. We just… disagreed on something, and I wanted to get some air, that's all. What do you care, anyway?"

"I do not. I was merely curious as to why my son would ever let you walk around on your own at night. Or at all. Be that as it may," the vampire said, grabbing Caroline's face and turning it to the side rather rudely, "I see that your Signum is still silver, and I wanted to make certain that you will do everything in your power to change its colour soon."

Pulling her face from the vampire's grip, Caroline rubbed her jaw. "Well, have _you_ found out anything? If I remember correctly, Klaus tasked you with gathering information on what will finally turn it golden."

"It would seem that the primeval author of the Original Grimoire is not to be found on the Other Side or in the Eternal Realm. Nor is he among the living. As that is not possible – every being has to be rooted in one of the three planes – I will have to find out what magic is behind this and what it means, which is not an easy chore with only very few allies on the Other Side. But I will get there eventually. In the meantime, there is something I need you to do."

Caroline gazed at the vampire suspiciously. _This is Esther. Be careful._ "And what is that?"

"You must keep Niklaus from killing the remaining two humans that carry the Pale Blood. If there is no possibility left to kill my sons and daughter, I will back off of our bargain and immediately inform the Old Witches of what is happening and how to stop you all. My children may control the numbers of Pale Blood bearers going forward, therewith reducing the risk to a minimum, but a few of them have to remain alive at all times."

"Why are you saying this?" Caroline asked, not able to suppress a slight tremor in her voice.

"It has been my life's mission to end the abominations that they have become. I will transition to the Eternal Realm once our bargain is complete with no further chance at interfering, but I want others to have the possibility of finding out and I need to leave the world with one means to kill them after all. However, as a token of my appreciation of Niklaus' destruction of the Other Side, I will refrain from divulging my knowledge about the Pale Blood to anyone, but it has to continue to exist for someone else to find out eventually."

Knowing she had turned white as a sheet, Caroline stared at the vampire, fear creeping into her eyes. "What makes you think Klaus won't go ahead and kill them after you have travelled on to the Eternal Realm?" she whispered, completely appalled.

"This," the vampire snarled and bit his wrist, forcing it to her mouth and holding her head against it so tightly that Caroline had no chance at escaping or even moving. She was forced to swallow the blood that didn't taste like vampire at all, struggling and fighting for everything she was worth, but it was pointless. After a few moments, the vampire let her go and stepped back, smirking at her.

"What did you do?" she panted, frantically wiping her mouth and spitting out the remainders of the blood, staring at her opponent with anxiety blazing out of her eyes.

"The blood of this vampire has been spelled by a Black Witch whose body I took hold of before invading his. It will leave your system in due course, not spoiling your own blood and not 'infecting' those who drink it. However, it will leave a permanent trace of very old magic within you, connected with the Pale Blood. Once this particular type of blood goes extinct, once the last of its bearers dies, so will you, Caroline. It is therefore in Niklaus' best interest to always keep a few of them alive."

Caroline felt the panic rise inside her, strangling her and making it impossible to move. "But what if… what if either of them gets hit by a bus? Or doesn't have children to carry on the blood? A million things can happen every day!"

"Well, it might be a good idea for Niklaus to place them all under protection."

Sinking onto the tree trunk, Caroline buried her face in her hands. Tears threatened to fall, but she would not allow them to in front of the Original Bitch. "Do you really believe Klaus will uphold any bargain with you after this?" she asked, her face still in her hands.

The vampire chuckled viciously. "Yes, he will. As long as I am on the Other Side, Niklaus will have no guarantee that I will not return one day. Once I am in the Eternal Realm, I will never be able to step onto this plane again, not permanently and not without help. Which is why I want to preserve one last possibility for someone else to one day extinguish what remains of the Original Family."

"My God," Caroline whispered, "just how evil can you be to hate your children like that?"

"I have known them for a little while longer than you have, Caroline."

Rising from the tree, she fought down the turmoil inside her and straightened to her full height. Looking the vampire directly in the eye, she hissed, "No. I've said it back in Poland, and I'll say it again. You haven't the slightest idea who your children are, and you have never made the effort to find out. And I will tell you a little secret. In the end, Klaus will win. Not because he always wins, but because he has one big advantage over you."

"And what, pray tell, would that be?" the vampire sneered.

Caroline gave her most vicious smile as she said softly, "He is not insane."

* * *

When she opened the door to the hotel room, her previous bravado had completely worn off. She was trembling, trying to put the fear out of her eyes before facing Klaus, but then she decided against it. It was a waste of energy as he would notice anyway. He was sitting in the chair next to the window, his arms around his knees, his face torn between anxiety at their earlier disagreement and endless relief at her return. Even through all her horror, she still felt her heart go out to him.

"I was beginning to worry," he whispered, rising from the chair and facing her. "Where did you… Caroline. What happened?" There was acute alarm in his voice now, and he was in front of her in a flash, taking her face in his hands.

There was no helping it. She broke into tears and all but collapsed into his arms. He held her close, his hands gently caressing her hair. "Shh, my love. Whatever it is, we will weather the storm."

"No," she whimpered, "not this time. Esther… I met Esther." She felt him go rigid before he pulled her over to the armchair and lowered them both onto it, wiping the tears from her face and gently kissing her cheeks until she could breathe again and her sobs began to die down. Taking a deep breath, she covered his lips with hers and then buried her face in the curve of his shoulder.

"She invaded the body of some random vampire this time," she began and proceeded to tell him everything that had happened. When she was finished, she lifted her head to look at him. The only time she had ever seen this much hate on his face had been when he had dealt with Mikael and Prelati. It almost scared her a little. His features softened as he gazed into her face now, and he took both of her hands in his, tenderly stroking them with his thumbs. She saw that he was strictly controlling his black rage for her benefit. His eyes told her he wanted nothing more than to commit bloody murder.

"I will find a way, my Caroline, I swear it to you. Nothing and no one will take you away from me, and I will send this rotten bitch into the eternal hellfire she belongs."

"Hell doesn't exist," Caroline sniffled, wrapping her arms around him and pressing herself as close to his warm, protective body as she could.

Klaus snorted. "Then I will build it for her, and she can hold hands with Mikael."

In a small voice, she mumbled, "I'm so sorry, Niklaus. If I hadn't been so stupid earlier, none of this would have happened. It is all my fault, and…" She didn't get any further as he kissed her fiercely, his lips warm, soft and strong on hers.

"It would have happened anyway. Esther was dead set on this, and I should have anticipated she was up to something. If this was anyone's fault, my sweet little one, it was mine, so please do not think for so much as a second that you are to blame for it in any way."

Caroline still felt guilty, but it wasn't to be helped for now. She looked up at Klaus and tenderly caressed his face. "There is something else as well." She hesitated, knowing they would both not like what she was about to say. "You can't drink any more of my blood." He was about to speak when she held up a hand. "Esther said my blood will not be affected permanently, but I don't believe a word she says, and I am not going to take any risks with this. If there is only a hint of Pale Blood in my system, it can kill you. So… no more blood sharing."

"We will find out more about this spell, and even more importantly, we will reverse it. I can live without your blood, my darling, but I cannot live without _you._ And you will continue to feed on me as it makes you stronger."

He pulled out his phone, one arm still around her, and dialed a long number. Caroline didn't understand a word of the following conversation as it seemed to be in German. When he was done, he made the next call, and now she was at a serious loss as to what language it actually was he was speaking. Getting up from his lap, she walked to the mini bar and pulled out a diminutive bottle of Jack Daniel's. Not bothering to pour the contents into a glass, she downed the whiskey in one large gulp and closed her eyes at the feeling of the alcohol burning its way down her throat. It felt good. Examining the contents of the little fridge, she settled for a mini bottle of vodka, downing it as quickly as the previous drink.

Klaus had finished his conversation and rose from the chair, his phone at his ear again immediately. "Elijah." He brought his brother up to speed, and Caroline could hear the rage in Elijah's voice on the other end of the line. Klaus explained how he had just hired twenty-four seven surveillance for the remaining humans that were carrying the Bombay type blood, and Caroline wondered for a moment how both Klaus and Elijah always seemed to know exactly whom to call in any given situation. Just before ending the conversation, Klaus' voice turned thoughtful when he spoke again.

"Esther can only watch those who played a role during her life on this plane, and not every minute of every day. Watching us will exhaust her weakened powers, so she will want to conserve her energy for the moments she will truly need them. However, as we do not know when exactly she will be watching whom, we will need to consider delegating at least some of the tasks related to this issue, much as I detest the thought. Brother," he added in a low, earnest voice, "you will be keeping an eye on all of them, will you?"

There was a minute of silence before the older Mikaelson's voice could be heard again.

_"Niklaus, is there anything I can do to help you and Caroline?"_

"The Marcel and Bonnie situation has to be resolved first. When they are not busy with their respective tasks, you might want to ask Silv and Davina to begin elaborating a counterspell to free Caroline from the connection to the Pale Blood. It will be complicated, and I am not certain Davina is ready for it yet, but I am sure she will find guidance in Samedi's grimoire. If my plan works out, she will not need to be the one to execute it, but she still has to know how to do it."

They spoke for a few more minutes before Klaus broke the connection and ran a hand through his hair. He stepped up to the window and stared outside for a long while. Then he turned towards Caroline and sighed.

"Esther did this to ensure my cooperation. I do not doubt she will find a way to kill the two Pale Blood bearers if I don't do her bidding. She does indeed want to transition to the Eternal Realm, given the fact that her powers are weakened and she will never be able to return to full strength. It undermines her position on the Other Side, therefore she wants it destroyed and I am the weapon. Or I will be. What she did to you tonight shows that there is one other thing she wants almost as much – see me and my siblings destroyed."

Caroline wrapped her arms around herself. She wasn't feeling well, but she didn't want to come across as an oversensitive hypochondriac. "So what does that mean for us, then?"

"It means we will have to conduct a war on more than one front."


	31. Author's Note

Dear all,

I believe I should make couple of additional comments on recent events.

First of all, to all of my lovely reviewers – please do not quarrel among each other! I appreciate and am utterly grateful for each and every one of your reviews, I always have been, and therefore please, _please_ do not get upset with each other. :)

Secondly, I have read all of your reviews on the Klaus/Caroline/Damon topic very thoroughly, and let me repeat my earlier statement: It does make me very, very sad to learn that some of you do feel let down and are no longer able to connect to Klaus and Caroline as a couple and/or to the whole story. The thought is devastating to me, as I never wished to offend anyone, and harmony driven as I am (yes, I'll admit it ;)), I do want everyone to like my story – even knowing that this is of course not possible (but a girl can dream ;)).

However, it is unfortunately also not possible for me to meet everyone's expectations and fulfill all wishes, as tastes and preferences differ so greatly from reader to reader. Furthermore, taking this concrete example, if I had Caroline tell Klaus the whole truth, I would have to rewrite the greater part of the remaining story, which is a lot, and that is quite simply not feasible. And admittedly, I do like the Klaus/Damon dynamics as well and want it to continue going forward, which would not be possible after Klaus learns of what happened. I can't actually imagine a scenario where Damon would even survive this confession, but that is just my point of view. :)

Guys, seriously, all of your reviews mean the world to me, and I believe you know that! And to those of you who are so disappointed with the recent developments within the story that they will discontinue reading Sanctuaries – the thought makes me incredibly unhappy, but I do of course respect your decision, and please do rest assured that I truly appreciate the time you have taken in reading the story so far, and I very honestly hope I will meet you again at some other story in the future!

Thank you all so much!

Sybille


	32. Guerilla

**Hello dearies,**

**first of all, I wholeheartedly thank each and every one of you who has reviewed over the last few days (and my apologies for not getting back to all of you earlier… job's keeping me a bit busy) – your response was absolutely overwhelming, and I am completely amazed at how unbelievably kind you all are – not to mention the fact that the reviews have reached an incredible 500! THANK YOU!**

**I would also like to add one more comment and, if agreeable with you all, move on from there. Pem, when I spoke about being distressed, I did not mean that I want you or anyone to stop voicing your opinions. I simply wanted to say that it distressed me to have disappointed a few of you. I am sorry if that came across differently, that was absolutely not my intention. And I do thank you for still having reviewed the latest chapter. :)  
**

**Now, as always, my special thanks go to the guest reviewers – Rona, Justine, Marie, Spnsovaddict, Bekki, Dillan, Ana20, Anonymous, Charlotte and Aunt Tricia. How's the iPhone today, by the way? ;)**

**And a very big cheer to xoxo Cherish for for the five hundredth review! :D  
**

**I hope you will enjoy the new chapter – and thank you again, everyone! Did I mention yet today that you are just fantastic? :)  
**

**XX**

**P.S.: Apologies for the lack of country greeting today… I'm dead tired and have almost no energy left to think in my mother tongue, let alone a foreign language! ;)**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY

GUERILLA

_DAMON_

After his staged fight with Rebekah at Remy's, Damon sauntered along the dark alleys of the Vieux Carré, a deliberately sour expression on his face. It had taken him a couple of hours to select the bar he would end up in, a small but boisterous place off Chartres Street. He had been there with Klaus during his babysitting weeks and remembered a fleeting remark the Original had made about how a few of Marcel's flunkies liked the place and from time to time, managed to convince him to drop Rousseau's for an evening and join them here. When he reached the bar, he gave an exasperated sigh at the sign in the window. **Karaoke Night. **Crap. Not only would he be bored to death, waiting all night in the faint hope that Marcel might make an appearance, he would also have to listen to the unspeakable yowling of all those who were brave and/or drunk enough to regale their surroundings with their would-be singing.

Pushing the door open, he scanned the crowded place and didn't detect any sign of Marcel. He spotted an empty bar stool at the far corner of the counter, well removed from the makeshift Karaoke stage, and made his way through the room. Signaling the bartender, he ordered a triple Bourbon and settled on the chair with what he hoped was a truly glum expression.

When his drink arrived, he took a couple of sips and let his mind wander to the night Klaus had beaten him up. He had expected the Original to kill him. Not because he had slept with Caroline but because he had compelled her, abused her and practically tried to kill her. When he had approached Klaus on the beach, he had seen anger and bloodlust on his face, but no sign of the deadly hate he had expected, which was when he had understood. Caroline hadn't told him. She had probably said something about a meaningless little fling, but she had otherwise kept quiet. Damon knew it had been for Elena's sake, but he was still grateful. He was acutely aware of the fact that he had never apologized to Caroline. He was not quite sure whether it was Elena's influence or the fact that he had begun to display more and more of the traits that had been a part of human Damon, so long ago… but he _did _feel remorse over the way he had treated her, and what had kept him from telling her so was the sheer cowardice in the face of having to finally confront someone he had truly wronged. He knew he would have to, though, and he would. Eventually.

Klaus' beating had been painful – he hadn't been aware of the Hybrid's true strength and wondered why the guy had apparently been holding back all the time in Mystic Falls – but it had been bearable. And there was something else, apart from his regret over his misdeeds. Something he would never even admit to Elena, let alone anyone else. He was _glad_ that Klaus didn't hate him. And not out of fear for his life. The damn guy was fun to be around when he wasn't miserable or using Elena as a blood bag. Or going on a killing spree. Well, the latter was okay as long as they were not on the receiving end. Be that as it may, he… kind of… no, he didn't like Klaus. He really didn't. Absolutely not. God, how had he come to this?

The next Karaoke singer jumped onto stage, and Damon no longer had to fake looking glum. David freaking _Hasselhoff?_ He took a closer look at the singer and decided he had to be a German tourist. No one but the Germans would ever voluntarily listen to The Hoff, and even less howl 'I've Been Looking For Freedom' at the top of their lungs. Just when Damon wondered whether his belt would be solid enough to support his weight when he hung himself, the door opened and a group of four vampires strutted into the room. Immediately lowering his eyes and staring morosely into his glass, Damon strained his ears.

"If he hears this, he'll stake the four of us before the night is done. Call him once the song is over. But the crowd looks tasty tonight. And… look who's here, too. He'll want to know. John, get the drinks."

Out of the corner of his eye, Damon watched one of the vampires make his way to the bar while the others compelled a group of humans to abandon the table next to the stage and took the seats with an air of haughtiness. The fourth one returned with the drinks a couple of minutes later, and the group toasted noisily, cheering on the would-be Hasselhoff whose howling had reached an alarming level.

The minute the song was over, one of the vampires pulled out his phone. "Hey, big boss, we are at La Boum's tonight – and guess what, Karaoke is on, with special guests! You game?"

Damon couldn't hear what Marcel was saying, but the grin on the guy's face was rather eloquent.

"Cool. See ya then, boss!" He broke the connection and beamed at his buddies. "Ten minutes. How about we give him a decent welcome?"

Staring back down at his glass, Damon thanked fate and sat through three god-awful performances of 'I Love Rock'n'Roll', 'Satisfaction' and 'Livin' on a Prayer', wondering whether the machine contained anything recorded after 1989. He had just ordered his second glass when the door opened again to reveal Marcel and a couple of his minions, boomingly greeting their pals and immediately beginning to sing along with 'Should I Stay or Should I Go'. Definitely nothing from the nineties or beyond, Damon decided, downing half of his drink and staring at the opposite wall. He was sure Marcel had noticed him the minute he had set foot in the bar.

After two more songs, Damon was just ordering his third drink when a deep voice next to him said, "This one's on me."

Looking up but not feigning surprise, Damon just raised a brow. "To what do I owe the honour?"

Marcel opened his arms in an exaggeratedly grand gesture. "It's Karaoke night, man! Why are you sitting alone in the corner, all gloomy and drowning in Bourbon? Come on, have some fun! That's what vampire life is for!"

Damon pursed his lips. "Thanks but no thanks. Not in the mood."

"Ah, that's too bad. Let me guess. Women trouble?"

Raising a brow, Damon just looked at Marcel. As if he hadn't already been informed about his 'fight' with Rebekah over being the Originals' lapdog and whatever else they had thrown at each other earlier tonight, and his following argument with Elena. After a while, he nodded. "My girl likes it here. She wants to stay for a while and has even taken up a freaking _job._ With Remy of all people. Well, anyway. Just not my day, so you guys go ahead."

Marcel smacked his shoulder, a look of mischief on his face. When Damon's drink arrived, he clanked his glass against the tumbler and exclaimed, "No way. Tonight's mission – cheering up Mr. Salvatore. We'll drink, we'll sing, we'll feed. Come on. I won't take no for an answer!"

With an exasperated sigh, Damon stared into his glass, seemingly making up his mind. Then he looked up and shrugged, getting up from his stool and gesturing towards the stage. "Why not. Well then, Sinatra. Why don't you just show this pathetic crowd how it's done?"

* * *

_SILV_

Damon had successfully _made contact_ with Marcel, as he had texted rather early in the morning, apparently still out somewhere partying hard with with Klaus' former protégé and his buddies. He and Elena had not moved in with them again but were staying at the Marriott in the French Quarter to publicly display how they preferred not to interact with the Originals more than absolutely necessary.

It was early evening, and Elijah had suggested Silv go shopping around the area of Rousseau's, which boasted some small but high-end boutiques and was conveniently located somewhere inbetween Marcel's favourite bar, his house and Remy's. Probability was high that she might run into Marcel sooner or later, and if not, one of his minions was sure to see her and report to his master immediately. With a smile, she directed her steps towards Carré Parfumeurs, an incredible place producing their own, hand-crafted scents and one of her favourite spots in all of New Orleans. She inconspicuously scanned her surroundings while she walked, not able to actually _see_ her husband, but knowing he was close.

Silv sighed at the memory of her argument with Elijah. After many hours of discussion, she had agreed to have him shadow her. She understood that he didn't want her exposed to any kind of risk at all, which had been one of the reasons he had been so keen on turning her into a vampire back in the twenties, but no one knew better than the oldest Mikaelson that life did not work that way. They had clashed heatedly over this, and although Silv had to suppress a delighted smile at how they had finally settled their argument, she sometimes found it exhausting to stand up to his overbearing protectiveness. The entire family was like that. Silv had learned very early on that it had to do with the fact that none of the Mikaelsons had ever really understood that between _all_ and _nothing,_ there was a wide field of _something._ But she had known what she had signed up for, and most of the time she actually liked the extremes. Nothing was even remotely as important to her as Elijah, and she supposed it was her very own version of _all._

Contrary to how Klaus reacted to every man that walked by Caroline at a distance of less than a hundred yards, Elijah did never openly display his jealousy. Silv knew he loathed the thought of her having to bat her lashes at Marcel, whatever the reason, but she had been surprised that he had actually told her so last night. What had also taken her by surprise was the way he had made love to her this morning. They had some very specific preferences which usually dominated their love life, but today had been very different. Only a handful of times had he made love to her like that, innocently, sweetly and almost shyly. Their first night after their reunion, their wedding night and a couple of others. It had been very lovely, and her heart swelled at the memory of how he had held her before she had left the house.

The perfume shop was not very large, and a few customers were being attended. Jean Martel, the owner, looked up when she entered the store, giving her a warm smile and signaling that he would be with her in a minute. Silv was a regular at the shop as she loved to experiment with new fragrances and combinations of ingredients. She indicated to Jean to take his time and strolled over to the display of crystal flacons, jars and bottles, examining the delicate creations for new arrivals.

Twenty minutes later, she was in the midst of a lively discussion with Jean on his newest composition, an intricate blend of more than twenty-five ingredients, when she suddenly felt a supernatural presence. And the strange _other_ sensation that always came with Marcel's arrival. Silv closed her eyes for a second and mentally prepared herself, not interrupting her conversation with Jean and not acknowledging the other vampire at all. Being alone in the shop, Jean had to excuse himself a couple of minutes later to serve some other customers, and Silv made a point of closely examining the little fragrance bottle. Without turning around, she spoke up when Marcel did not say anything.

"Do us both a favour and save your breath if you are about to say something along the lines of how my natural fragrance does not need any enhancements, will you?" she remarked in a detached tone, her nostrils flaring when opened the flacon once more to inhale the intriguing scent of Jean's creation.

He cleared his throat. "I wasn't going to, but it is true nonetheless. You've been gone for a while. Would it be inappropriate to say that I missed you, Mrs. Mikaelson?"

Now she did turn around to find his eyes on her. They were hungry, greedy, and Silv thought fleetingly how different it felt when Elijah looked at her with that kind of hunger. "Yes," she retorted coolly, "it would be very inappropriate indeed. I do not know just how many times I have to repeat to you that I am married and have no intention whatsoever to change that status. I am quite certain that you have more than enough females at your disposal who are willing to relieve you of your… tension."

Marcel's face split into a huge grin, and Silv knew she had found the right tonality. She had to continue to snap at him, but she would also have to make a few innuendos to keep his interest piqued. Most men enjoyed the chase more than the actual conquest, and this one was a textbook example. "That is an accurate statement, Mrs. Mikaelson. And yet I find your company far more intriguing. What would you think of a little bargain?" he asked mischievously, and Silv grabbed her purse, giving Jean a quick wave.

"Not interested, thank you," she replied and left the store, knowing he would follow on her heels. When they had reached the sidewalk, he fell into step with her and gave her a wolfish grin.

"I am certain you will be interested in my proposal. How about this? You allow me to invite you for a drink. Just one drink. If, at the end of said drink, you decide that you do not want to stay for a second one, I give you my word that I will never bother you again."

Silv didn't halt her steps, but she turned her head, feigning to look at him thoughtfully. "How would I know that you will keep your word?" she asked, giving her voice a remotely intrigued timbre.

He looked offended, but there was a wicked gleam in his eyes. "I am a man of my word, Mrs. Mikaelson. And I am very confident that you will want a… second drink after all. So what do you say?" he demanded.

Walking in silence for a minute, she gave a very convincing performance of inner turmoil, pretending to struggle with her decision, until she looked at him with a very reluctant expression on her face. "One drink. Then you will leave me alone for good. And you had better be true to your word, Marcel," she added in a warning voice.

A broad grin split his face, and he inclined his head towards her. "You just made me a very happy man. Shall we, then?"

* * *

_DAVINA_

Her thoughts were on Kol as she walked the streets towards Bonnie Bennett's little house right next to Lafayette Cemetery. She felt uncomfortable at the idea of having to interact with a Black Witch, and thinking of Kol was taking her mind off her worries. She had had a thing for him ever since they had first met, but now she feared she was seriously falling for him. The moment he had said goodbye to her before she returned to the city, kissing her hand and leaning into her, quietly whispering into her ear that she should take care of herself, had made her heart beat like a jackhammer, and she was sure he had heard it loud and clear. He had looked her very intently, all playfulness and his usual lopsided grin gone from his face, and kissed her hand again, lingering on her skin for a long moment. It had literally taken her breath away.

Davina had always kept her distance from men. They meant trouble, pain, heartbreak. She had seen it in her mother, who in the end had had to die because of a man, and she had seen it in the human girls back at school. Nothing good ever came of relationships, and she had been fairly certain she was immune against any kind of male allure. But then Kol had stepped into her life, the enemy, one of the feared Originals, and for the first time ever, Davina had not been able to control her emotions. He hadn't paid much attention to her in the beginning, but after his family had left, they had begun to spend some time together. Davina was aware that at first, he had wanted nothing but information from her, attempting to convince her to side with his family if need arose, but she had also noticed that very gradually, his attitude towards her had been changing. He was still playful and a major tease, but whenever they were alone, he had begun to speak to her of himself, his life and his family, making her see a completely different side to him. In many respects, he was still a boy, but he was also a thousand years old, and Davina found the combination fascinating.

With a deep sigh, she began to cross the cemetery when she felt vampire presence. A split second later, she was lifted from the ground and set down behind a tree in the depths of the graveyard. Her heart was beating like crazy, but it accelerated to almost inhuman speed when she recognized her assailant.

It was Kol.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, "Are you nuts? You are not supposed to be here for anything other than… you know what! Go before anyone notices you!"

She swallowed when his hands came to rest on the tree to either side of her head. "No one will notice me. I just wanted to make certain you are all right. Are you?" he demanded, his voice almost inaudible.

Davina nodded. "I'll be fine." Her breath caught, and she began to feel seriously dizzy when his face leaned towards hers.

"Be careful, okay?" he whispered against her cheek, his lips brushing her skin. Touching her temple. Her cheek. The… corner of her mouth. Her l…

"Kol, in the name of the Gods, do you want Nik to rip your head off? You're supposed to play Ninja Turtle, so go and do your bloody job!" a female voice hissed from somewhere behind them.

Rebekah.

Torn between relief, frustration and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to truly experience what his lips felt like on hers, Davina closed her eyes and tried to shake off the daze. Kol just groaned quietly and slowly backed away from her, not without running his hand over her arm in the process.

"Thanks, Bekah. Perfect timing as always," he muttered. And with one last, lingering look at Davina, he simply disappeared into the darkness. Rebekah sighed and shook her head.

"Are you all right?" she asked quietly, scrutinizing her flushed face – and most definitely hearing her frantic heartbeat. Davina nodded, and Rebekah's eyes softened for a moment.

"I like you, Davina, and I would be more than glad to see something come out of whatever it is that is going on between you and my brother. My family is rather flawed, all of us are, but Kol is by far the wildest. You will need a considerable amount of strength, patience and open-mindedness if you are playing with the thought of attaching yourself to him. Just a piece of friendly advice. Go on to Bonnie's now, I will be watching over you." And with that, the Original disappeared as soundlessly as her brother had moments ago.

Finally shaking off her bewilderment, Davina returned to the main walkway and quickened her steps, resolutely banning all thoughts of Kol into the depths of her mind. Her encounter with him had been confusing, exciting and dazzling and she knew she would spend all night thinking about it, but she needed to focus and to be on her toes now.

When she had reached Bonnie Bennett's house, she took a deep breath and knocked. She was glad that she hadn't been asked to play a role like Silv's that needed a considerable amount of acting. This was about magic, and she was grateful for every piece of guidance she received, so she would be genuine towards Bonnie up to a point. When the door opened, Davina didn't have to pretend being intimidated.

Bonnie looked at her suspiciously, folding her arms over her chest. "Davina. What brings you here?"

"I am sorry to disturb you, Bonnie, but… look, I know this is a lot to ask, but I am at a complete loss with a boundary spell and…" she lowered her head to gaze at her feet, hoping that Bonnie wouldn't look through her immediately. "And I hoped you could point me in the right direction."

There was a moment of silence, and Davina finally raised her head to look at the other witch again. Bonnie had put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed. "Doesn't Sophie Devereaux usually guide you?" she asked coolly, scanning Davina's face closely.

"We don't get along very well, and whenever I come to ask her for advice, she finds another excuse not to help me. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't advance without tutelage, and have no one to turn to. Please, Bonnie. I know you are practicing the dark crafts, but I would be eternally grateful to you if you would agree to give me some advice on the neutral spells."

Pursing her lips, Bonnie considered. "I am rather busy, I'm afraid," she began when Davina nodded.

"I know you are, and I give you my word that I will not take up much of your time. I am not asking for a full-fledged mentorship, just some guidance here and there." She fell silent, knowing that she must not push Bonnie any further or the other witch might become suspicious after all. She remembered Caroline saying something about how Bonnie had had to teach herself for quite a while, too, and she hoped that despite being a Black Witch now, there might still be some memories in Bonnie, reminding her of how difficult it was not to have any advisors.

Finally, Bonnie looked at her thoughtfully, a spark of something entering her eyes as she spoke again. It looked very calculating, and Davina had the distinct feeling Bonnie was just writing her own agenda. "Very well. I can give you a couple of hours here and there, no more. I dislike the Devereaux witch, and I am aware that you are mostly on your own. But you will only ever come here when I tell you to. Come in, then."

With a nod and a whispered "Thank you," Davina followed Bonnie into the house.

* * *

_ELENA_

Tending to the bar at Remy's turned out to be fairly easy. Remy had been reluctant when Elijah had first spoken to him, fearing for his neutrality, but it seemed Elijah had exerted the right amount of coercion for the Spaniard to agree to let her help him. In the end, she didn't do anything other than what everyone was doing – listening to the latest gossip, exchanging information, see and be seen.

The two of them got along well after Remy had overcome his initial resistance, and after a couple of days, Elena found Klaus' assumption confirmed. Remy was indeed infatuated with Caroline, and as he knew they were best friends, he gradually began to ask her about what Caroline had been like in her human days, how she had been turned and whatever else it was he was interested in. He looked very disappointed when Elena had told him that she hadn't heard from her best friend ever since she had left so hastily.

Rinsing some beer glasses, Elena inwardly shook her head at how things had changed so drastically in less than a year. She had chosen Damon, Stefan was with Rebekah, Caroline and Klaus were married and Bonnie had succumbed to Black Magic. Had anyone told her a year ago, she would have had them committed. The thought of Damon made her smile. The nightly parties with Marcel and his rowdy gang of buddies were beginning to get on his nerves, but he had yet to wait for an invitation to Marcel's home. He stopped by Remy's as often as he could, and they both enjoyed the rare hours they spent together, but they also longed for some more alone time.

"So quiet today?" Remy wondered as he was coming up from his cellar, carrying an armful of bottles. Shaking her head, she gave him a smile.

"Nope, all good. What's with the bottles? They look as if they have been buried for a century," she grinned, pointing at what Remy was just placing on the counter. The bottles were very dusty and the labels looked positively ancient.

"I just tumbled about them the other day, and I will put them on the menu. It is Cognac, about ninety years old, and I am afraid it will have to be drunk very soon or I can just toss it in the river. Speaking of antiques, any news from Klaus?" he asked casually, both of them knowing that all ears would peak up at the mention of the Original's name.

Putting on what she hoped was a convincing face of disgust, Elena shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. He may have been married to my best friend, but I hate the guy's guts. He drove her away after all, and I don't know if I'll ever see her again! He can just dig himself a hole somewhere in the middle of the desert and get mummified, for all I care." She saw Remy lift a corner of his mouth. He knew Elena didn't hate Klaus and that she was saying this for the sake of anyone listening in, but he was also not aware that Caroline had been found and that Klaus was back on the wagon, so to speak. Elijah did not trust Remy enough to let him know, and neither would Elena.

Another while later, two witches Elena had never seen before took the table in the furthest corner, ordering two glasses of white wine and immediately beginning a conversation about a spell one of them had apparently heard about only very recently. Elena listened with half an ear, busying herself wiping the counter. Over the last few days, she had learned to focus her hearing on various conversations at the same time, filtering them for everything that could be of interest. Details on spells weren't overly exciting, but as there was only one other table occupied and Remy had gone out for an hour, she had nothing else to do.

"That's Black Magic, Arlena. You cannot use that spell, you know that," the younger of the two witches remarked with trepidation in her voice. The older woman shook her head.

"There are spells that represent borderline cases. Depending on your intent, they turn out to be either Black or White. For example, if you use an immobilization spell for the purposes of fending off an attacker, it is perfectly acceptable to use it. If, however, your intention is to render someone defenseless to gain your own ends, it falls under Black Magic." The witch took a deep sip of her wine before she continued. "The same happens with this spell. If you bind a being to another one with the motive of protecting that being, it is White Magic. If you do the same to harm or maybe even kill one by means of the other's death, tada, Dark Side of The Force."

Elena was listening a little more closely now, all the while never giving any notice that she was actually following the conversation. The younger witch looked at her companion now. "So how come I have never seen this spell in anyone's grimoire?"

"Only a handful of witches or warlocks are powerful enough to perform this particular piece of magic, no matter if White or Black motivations are behind it. For the time being, I would say, the Bennett witch, of course, then one of the Black Witches residing upriver Mississippi, Simona in Italy – the Black Witch I told you about the other day – and probably Thomas Underwood up in Seattle. He is a White Warlock. But other than them, I don't think anyone is currently able to do it."

"Who created that spell, anyway?" the second witch wanted to know.

"The Original Witch, which is why it is so damn complicated. The more powerful the witch or warlock who creates a spell, the more difficult it is for others to execute. Something created by the Original Witch is almost impossible to reproduce for anyone outside the four ancient lines. It is doable, but you need an incredible amount of power, and it would take you out for days afterwards."

Elena remembered how Esther had bound their children to have them all die when one of them did, and she supposed this was the spell they were talking about. She would speak about this to Elijah tomorrow, as this kind of knowledge could prove to be useful at some point, and as Davina did indeed belong to one of the ancient lines, there might be a chance she would be able to perform that spell if needed. Or counter it.

* * *

_KOL_

"You want nothing more than to be Marcel's confidant. Everyone else, even your closest friends, are striving to undermine your attempts to achieve your rightful position within his circle, therefore you will fight them. Not to the death until I tell you otherwise, but you will use every opportunity to discredit them, weaken them, debilitate them. Should Marcel or anyone else ask, you will tell them that your friends stole from you or insulted you or were trying to vervain you for reasons unknown. You will not remember me, you will not remember anything about this conversation, and you will not know anything about why you are so keen on being in Marcel's good graces. You just know you need to be, more than anything else."

The young vampire nodded, still holding the arm Kol had torn open earlier to check the boy for vervain, and took a step back. The minute he turned around, Kol flashed off into the darkness. He was done for now, having compelled another four vampires over the course of the night, and he did not want to overstay. He knew no one had seen him, but he did not want to tempt fate. He had had to kill one vampire yesterday after discovering he was on vervain, carrying the corpse with him and dumping it at the deepest spot of the swamp. He had used a hunter's stake, just in case anyone got funny ideas about diving into the swamp and digging out the body.

He was staying at an abandoned shack a few miles into the swamp. Knowing the area inside out, he had chosen his hideaway carefully. This was a very remote spot, so removed that not even the crazed swamp vampires ever wandered that far, let alone anyone else. He didn't overly like it here, but it was not to be helped for now.

Kol sat on the would-be porch of the hut, a bottle of Bourbon in his hand, and thought about what had happened lately. He had been abashed when Davina had lifted the desiccation spell. The fact that he had let Marcel and Bonnie beat him was deeply humiliating, especially in view of how he had always complained to Nik about never giving him any real responsibility. Now that he had finally done so, Kol had failed. He would never let that happen again, but it still embarrassed him immensely, and he had been very surprised that Nik had actually gone through the trouble of rescuing him.

And then there was Davina. Kol had absolutely no idea what was going on between the two of them. She was incredibly beautiful, he liked being with her, and the Gods knew he desired her madly. But he had not made a single move, except for their almost-kiss at the cemetery the other day, and that was not usually his style. He was very direct in his pursuits, and what was more, Davina was nothing at all like the women he generally preferred – experienced, forward and even a little vulgar. Or very vulgar. She was somewhat shy, although she did have a considerable amount of sass, and rather cherubic. He was inexplicably drawn to her, and he did not have a clue what to do. His first reaction after Nik had told him to keep his hands off her had been to seduce her immediately, but the second he had laid eyes on her at the cemetery, he had abandoned that plan. He wanted her in his bed, yes, but not hurriedly and in a haste. Gods, he was probably getting old. Which didn't mean he would not let Nik believe he was doing exactly what his brother had told him not to do. Irking old Nik was always fun.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he texted his brother.

**Four more tonight. One on v. yesterday. Executed. Oh, and D. is ever more receptive to my considerable charms.**

With a grin, he took a sip from the bottle and wondered if it would take Nik more than ten seconds to reply. It didn't.

**_Kol, you are trying my patience. Do your job and save the shagging for when this is over._**

**Easy for YOU to say.**

**_Remember what happened to your Rammstein crap? Same will happen to your cars. All eight of them. And to you, if you do not get a grip on your bloody hormones._**

This was fun indeed. Kol was just poring over a suitable reply when he heard a very faint sound. He shoved the phone back into his pocket and was just about to melt into the darkness when a well-known voice sounded right next to him.

"Easy, brother."

Elijah.

Relaxing, Kol shook his head. "How are you always managing to sneak up on me, big brother?"

"It might have something to do with focus, concentration and paying attention to your surroundings," Elijah snickered and grabbed the bottle from Kol, taking a deep sip and sitting on the second chair. "How are you faring, Kol?"

"Quite well, I would say. I just told Nik that I compelled another four of Marcel's flunkies tonight. I had to kill one yesterday. Vervain."

With an indulgent smile, Elijah nodded. "I am aware of that."

"How?" Kol asked, a little dumbfounded.

"I am keeping an eye on you, brother. On all of you," he added when Kol was about to fly into a rage. "And I must say you are doing very well, young'un. Which is what I told Niklaus earlier today. He was very pleased with how you handled yourself during his absence, by the way."

"Until the moment I was bested by that scum," Kol replied glumly, taking the bottle from Elijah and downing a big gulp of Bourbon.

His older brother inclined his head. "It was certainly not your most sidereal hour, but these things can happen, and as long as you learn from them and do not repeat your errors, all will be well. I have miscalculated in my time, and so has Niklaus. But you must never make the same mistake twice, brother."

"I have no such intention."

"Good. Because I do have the nagging feeling that you were about to."

With puzzled eyes, Kol looked at Elijah. "What do you mean?"

The older Original heaved a sigh and let his gaze wander into the distance where the cypresses melted into the shadows. "I am speaking of Davina, Kol. It is very obvious you like the lady, and it is even more undeniable that she is drawn to you. But I want you to trust Niklaus this once, brother, and refrain from acting on your attraction for the time being. Your brother has enough worries as it is, and he does not need to be burdened with this additional one."

"Not you, too!" Groaning, Kol took another deep swig. "What is it with everyone propagating celibacy?"

"And what is it with you not being able to keep your pants on for any length of time? Sometimes, it is about more than your physical gratification, and sometimes, your brother's actions and decisions are about something other than spiting you. Listen, Kol, Niklaus has every intention of delegating the responsibility for this town, _his_ city, to you once everything is over, and I know it is your aspiration to show him that you are capable of running it. Do not spoil this by defying your brother out of a sheer caprice. You are better than that."

Kol stared at Elijah. Nik had told their older brother he intended to let him run New Orleans? He was really, truly serious about it? For a moment, a little rush of warmth spread through his chest. Nik wanted to give him a chance. For the first time in a millennium, the brother he secretly admired so much was ready to put some faith in him. And he would prove himself worthy. As Elijah had said earlier – he must never make the same mistake twice.

Giving a nod, he looked his oldest brother in the eyes. "Very well, Elijah. But… do give me your word that you will keep an eye on Davina."

Reaching out for the bottle, Elijah smiled warmly. "Of course. I have no intention of letting any harm come to the one woman you have more than a fleeting interest in, young'un."

"I didn't say anything about that," Kol muttered, pulling another smile from his brother.

"Neither did Niklaus when he first fell for Caroline. You boys should know I need no vocal confirmation from either of you. I have known you for a little while."

With a huff, Kol stared into the void for a moment. Then he pulled out his phone again.

**I give you my word, Nik.**

Not even thirty seconds later, his mobile buzzed.

**_As for your task, brother – you are doing well._**


	33. You Only Die Twice

**Baie dankie, Suid Afrika! :)**

**My lovely guest reviewers, you've been so amazing again! Justine, Bekki, Patie, Marie, Tricia and the anons - a big hug to all of you! :) To the guest review about the different viewpoints: I absolutely see your point - I was trying to find a way to get these different angles together without giving everyone an individual chapter, and that was what I came up with in the end. Not ideal, I know... and there will be one more of those chapters later on, so please bear with me! :)**

**Today's chapter will be very long, which I hope will make up for my not posting anything yesterday. ;)**

**Please enjoy, and as always - THANK YOU, each and every one of you!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

YOU ONLY DIE TWICE

A few days after the incident with Esther, Caroline knew that something was seriously wrong with her. The feeling of nausea wouldn't go away, she had lost all appetite for either blood or food, and she was drained. Whenever she looked at herself in the mirror, it seemed to her that she was watching herself with a stranger's eyes. All of this made fear root deep inside her, and she knew she had to tell Klaus about it very soon. So far, she had managed to hide it well, but she was aware that it was only due to the fact that her man was so engrossed in everything Original Grimoire and Esther.

She tried to lift her head from the pillows to see what he was doing, but she couldn't. The nausea and the heat inside her were rising to almost unbearable levels. _Oh God, I feel worse than I did after the werewolf bite! _Moving her head just an inch was beyond exhausting, and there was no way she could have prevented the little gasp from escaping her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Klaus' head jerk up. He was at her side instantly.

"My love, what is it?" he asked, gently cupping her face. His eyes widened when he took a closer look at her. "What is going on, Caroline?" he demanded, his voice rising with what she knew to be anxiety.

"I don't know," she whispered, looking up into his beautiful eyes. The dark blue reminded her of cool oceans and storm clouds which relieved her feverish mind a little. "I've felt strange ever since Esther made me drink that blood, but it's been getting worse since last night. I feel like I'm burning up but I'm having chills, I'm nauseous and can't seem to be able to even lift my head. My… my head and my back have also started hurting this morning, and it seems like every single muscle hurts as well." Her voice dropped another little bit. "What can that be, Niklaus?"

In a flash, he ghosted to the bathroom. Caroline heard water running, but before she could even think about trying to turn her head, he was back at her side, tenderly wiping her face with a cool, damp cloth. Her eyes closed. _Mmmh,_ _feels good. _She registered the slight tremor in his voice when he replied, "I would suspect it has something to do with your connection to the Pale Blood bearers. But let me make sure." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number, never stopping his gentle ministrations with the cloth. While the call was still going out, he flashed back into the bathroom to refresh the little towel, and Caroline heard him speak what she had learned by now was actually Hindi.

When he broke the connection, he moved to sit next to her on the bed, gently wiping her arms and her chest with the cool fabric. "Much as I long to do it, I will not take you in my arms, my sweet little one. I am afraid that you are warm enough as it is." He smiled at her, taking her hand and placing soft, tender kisses on her heated skin. "We will need to await confirmation from the man whom I hired to protect the person in Darjeeling, but judging from your symptoms, my theory is that one of the Pale Bood bearers has contracted Typhus and due to your connection, you are sharing his suffering. This has been a very intricate spell, it would seem, quite my mother's style. You are not sharing all of their day-to-day ups and downs but only what is truly life-threatening. Typhus can be fatal if not treated, which is why I believe you are feeling the symptoms – he will die if not healed quickly. Fortunately, this disease can be cured relatively easily with antibiotics. You would not die from it this time, I presume, as there still is the other person in Germany, but whenever one of them is close to death, you will suffer with them."

Caroline stared at him, not sure if she had heard him correctly. "So whatever the last of them dies of, I will die of?"

His eyes closed while he was obviously trying to suppress his fear. When he answered, his voice was steady, but he was merely whispering. "Yes. I am certain that this is how it works."

Despair raced through her. For a split second, she felt like a sulking toddler stamping a foot. _Why me? Why is it always, always me? Why won't anyone just let me be happy? _She knew that Klaus would do everything in his power to have the man in faraway Darjeeling healed immediately, and it was apparently not a matter of life and death for now. But what if… No. She wouldn't think about the endless ways the two Pale Blood bearers could meet their end. It was just what each and every human had to face day-in, day-out. Mortality. It was as simple as that. She was Caroline Mikaelson, and she was brave and strong enough to live with the same kind of risk her mother, Matt and all of her former classmates were taking. The way she had been living for seventeen years herself. And who knew, maybe one day they would find a possibility to have the spell reversed.

With an immense effort, she lifted herself onto her elbows and looked at her husband evenly. "You will have him healed, just as you will have the two of them and their offspring protected. I will live through whatever happens to them. It's not how I hoped to spend eternity with you, Niklaus, but as long as I _get_ to spend it with you, I can live with it, and so can you."

He shook his head. "No, Caroline. I will never accept that there is such an easy way for you to die. I will have that connection broken, and I will kill everyone who gets in my way. I am not allowing you to live in fear every day, and I am not losing you."

Her smile was weak but very tender. "You won't. I promise, my love."

"You can't promise me that, Caroline, not as long as your life is connected to that of _humans._ Repeat those words to me once the link between you and them is severed. And it will be, I swear it to you."

* * *

After another day of sickness, Caroline began to gradually feel better. Dr. Mikaelson had been right – the man in Darjeeling had indeed contracted Typhus, but as he was no longer in mortal peril after he had been properly treated with the required meds, Caroline's state improved quickly. Klaus hadn't left her side, he had not slept, he had not fed or eaten until he had the visible proof that she was on the road to recovery.

She had spent every waking hour thinking about what had occurred so far, and what was to be expected going forward. Whatever angle she looked at things from, she kept coming back to the one and only feasible conclusion as to what needed to happen. It would be the most difficult thing she would ever have to do, and she knew Klaus would go completely ballistic once she told him.

Earlier on, he had carried her to the bathtub, gently lowering her into a divine, warm bubble bath. While she was submerged in the soothing water, eyes closed, reveling in the relief of no longer feeling so sick and weak, he had made a quick dash to the local hospital, returning with a number of blood bags. He carried a glass of blood to the tub and placed a small pile of clothes on a chair.

"You might want to dress, my love, as we have visitors."

Eyeing the bathroom door, she looked up at him questioningly. He smiled and ran a hand over her damp hair when a voice sounded from outside.

"Please do not feel obliged to wear anything at all, dear sister. I am certain we will be more than delighted at the view."

Kol! With a light grin, she put a hand on Klaus' arm and stroked him softly. "Your adult magazines arrive late this month, or what?" she fired back. Klaus bent down and lifted her chin, covering her lips with his. They lingered for a moment before he broke the kiss and got up from the edge of the tub.

"Take your time, my darling," he murmured.

Ten minutes later, Caroline stepped into the room to find Klaus, Elijah and Kol gathered around the table, poring over the different manuscripts. Her heart ached happily at the sight of her man and her brothers-in-law. Seeing them gathered so peacefully, together as brothers at very long last, she felt even worse about what she was going to suggest. She didn't doubt they were putting together one of those complex, artful plans both Klaus and Elijah were so fond of, but something told her that this time, with everyone who was conspiring against them, something else was needed. Or rather, something had to be done in addition.

When they heard her, Elijah rose and came to pull her into a hug, examining her face very closely. "I am glad to find you recovered, sister, just as I am appalled at what Esther has done to you. But I completely concur with Niklaus. We will find a way out of this."

_Yes. We will. And this time, it won't be about complicated plans and crazy counterspells._

Kol nodded, also giving her a quick embrace. "Sorry about what happened to you, Caroline. Esther will most definitely pay for that. I can't believe I am actually related to that woman."

Smiling at the two of them, Caroline walked over to the minibar and pulled another blood bag from it, pouring the contents into her glass. Slowly sipping the blood, she made her way to the table, taking the hand Klaus was holding out to her and sitting on his lap. He gathered her close and squeezed her hand before returning his attention to his brothers.

"I have increased surveillance on the two Pale Blood bearers ever since we learned about how they can affect Caroline. My initial intention was to have them protected by humans only, in order not to draw any supernatural attention to them, but I believe it will not suffice after all. I will therefore travel to India and Germany at the earliest opportunity to compel some local vampires to protect the two humans at all cost without knowing why. Elijah, Kol, you will have to take care of the stakes and everything else on your own for a while. Once I return, we…"

He lapsed into silence when Caroline cleared her throat. "Sorry to interrupt you, Niklaus, but I don't think that will be necessary."

All three of them gazed at her expectantly. Taking a deep breath, she sat back a little so she could look Klaus in the eyes. He would most definitely fly into a fit once she was finished, but she hoped that both Elijah and Kol would see reason and between the three of them, they would be able to convince him that this was the right thing to do.

"I have given this a lot of thought over the last few days, and everything comes down to two people. You and me. Esther wants you to do destroy the Other Side, and she needs both of us for that. Marcel and Bonnie want to end the existing vampire lines and create new ones for which they need you because you have the Original Grimoire and without it, they won't be able to complete the required magic. All of them know that threatening me is the one thing that will always get to you, in whatever shape or form. Forcing me to leave, binding me to the lives of a couple of humans… there will always be something they can come up with to distract your attention from what matters and to extort what they want. I'm a liability, Niklaus." She held up a hand when he wanted to protest. "You know I am. You don't perceive it that way, but I am endangering you and subsequently everyone else. There is only one way out of this dilemma in order for you to no longer be vulnerable and open to blackmail." She paused and swallowed, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"I will have to die."

His reaction was worse than she had expected. In a blur, he slammed her into the nearest wall, his hand around her throat, his voice a roar. But there was a deep crack in it. "No, no and no! We won't even _discuss_ this! I don't care that you are a bloody martyr and I don't care that you think you are helping me and everyone else. Never. Do you hear me?" He was almost screaming by now. "You will never even _think_ about it again!"

Elijah was there now, putting a hand on his brother's arm. "Niklaus, you are hurting her."

The hand around her throat loosened, but he didn't release her from his iron grip. "Caroline, I have never been this serious about anything in my entire life. Mention your death only once more, and I will compel you. As true as I am standing here. Whatever your idea is, it is not an option!"

"Niklaus," she whispered, her hands moving to cup his face, "please hear me out. I know exactly how you feel, and I would have reacted just the same way had you said anything about dying. But please, my love, you need to listen to me."

She knew her touch was soothing him as it always did, but he was rigorously fighting the sensation. "Under no circumstances whatsoever will I allow you to put your life at risk, and I won't hear anything about it. I swore to protect you from anything, and that includes yourself if you are being so stupidly reckless. I will have none of this, is that understood?" he snarled, grinding his teeth.

The older Mikaelson nodded. "Sister, I would not phrase it quite the same way my impetuous brother did, but I do agree with Niklaus. Your death is not an option, under whatever circumstances, and I have to admit to being somewhat surprised that you have even considered it. Brother, do let go of Caroline, will you?" he added, enforcing his hold on Klaus' arm. His sibling's endorsement had apparently placated her husband to an extent. He released her throat and moved a couple of steps away. Then he turned towards the mini bar, extracting a small bottle of Single Malt and downing the contents in one swig. His back to them, he stepped to the window and shook his head.

"How can you even think about something like that?" he muttered tonelessly against the glass, leaving a stain of breath upon it that disappeared almost instantly. "After everything we have been through, after almost breaking over each other's loss… how, Caroline?"

Before she could say a word, Kol spoke up. His eyes had widened at first, too, but then he had watched the scene thoughtfully, considering. "If it is what I am thinking, sister, then I do believe it might not be the worst of ideas. Stuff it, Nik,' he growled when his brother whirled around to glare at him, "I did not say I agree. But I think my sister should at least be given the chance to explain."

With a quick smirk, she nodded at the youngest Mikaelson. "It scares me a bit to see you as the voice of reason, but this is the world of the supernatural and I've learned that anything can happen." Kol winked at her and grinned.

Elijah seemed to have collected himself and sat back down at the table after grabbing a bottle of white wine from the mini bar. "I apologize, Caroline. Of course we will hear you out, little sister. Niklaus, do join us, will you?" Klaus just shook his head and reverted to staring out of the window. Caroline sighed and turned her gaze to her brothers.

"Once I am gone," she began, desperately trying to ignore how Klaus tensed and grabbed the windowsill at her words, "a couple of things will happen. First, the spell that links me to the Pale Blood bearers will be broken and Esther loses her leverage. Second, the Signum can no longer be completed and there is no way the Other Side can be destroyed, at least not for the time being. Esther will believe she is stuck forever. Third, Niklaus can concentrate on doing what needs to be done without having to worry about my safety for a single moment."

At that, he did turn to face her. His eyes bore into hers, burning with rage and despair, but he didn't say a word. He simply glared at her, knowing how the pain in his eyes would hurt her. Oh, and she understood him so well! His rage, his fear, his pain at the mere thought of losing her… _I know how you feel, my love, trust me, I truly do!_

"You will have to destroy the stakes first, Elijah. That leaves no means other than the Pale Blood bearers to kill you guys. So once the stakes are gone, I will have to be killed and pass on to the Other Side."

With a low growl, Klaus was in her face, pulling her up from the chair and grabbing her arms very roughly. "I am not repeating myself, Caroline. There. Is. No. Way. In. Fucking. _Hell_!"

Caroline leaned into him, resting her cheek against his and closing her eyes. His whole body was completely rigid, his jaw was tense and he was no longer breathing. "Niklaus," she whispered, tenderly touching his cheek with hers, "let me finish, please. Okay?" He let go and stared down at her, very obviously debating whether to pull her into his arms and hold on to her as tightly as he could or to give her a proper beating. In the end, he did neither but returned to his spot at the window. With another sigh, she sat down and continued.

"Once I am on the Other Side, you will go ahead and put an end to Bonnie's and Marcel's scheme. The initial idea of letting Bonnie carry out the ritual to create an Original Witch is good – it will kill Marcel, and it will engender a witch powerful enough to resuscitate me permanently and perform the necessary procedures to eliminate the Other Side once I have returned and our Signum will finally turn golden. You will only have to make certain that the right witch will be chosen to be turned into an Original. And I'm absolutely sure that's Davina."

Now all three of them were looking at her, and she could see both Elijah and Kol running the scenario through their heads, weighing the pros and cons. Klaus had folded his arms over his chest and didn't say a word, but his scowl was no less black than it had been a minute earlier.

"So… what do you think?" she asked timidly after a few minutes of silence. Kol was about to speak when Elijah shot him a warning glance and silenced him with a curt gesture. Both brothers looked at Klaus who had gone to the mini bar to down another drink. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and detached.

"That wonderful little plan of yours has just one little flaw, lady. There is no reason why you would not travel directly to the Eternal Realm of the Dead. You have not done anything that would justify your being sent to the Other Side. Forget it."

"You are aware that I killed a man right after I was turned?"

With something between a snort and a huff, he shook his head. "It was never your intention to kill him. You gave in to your instincts, it was not something you could have helped so shortly after becoming a vampire. You have not killed since, therefore it is highly unlikely that you would even get to see the Other Side."

Closing her eyes, Caroline knew she would have to make a choice right here and right now. Her principles, her morals and her convictions stood up against her love for her man, her family and her friends. Klaus was right about the Other Side, and she hadn't considered that, but somewhere deep down, she knew that her plan was the only one to truly work. And she would have to make a sacrifice that would weigh on her conscience for a very, very long time, if not forever. But she had no alternative, not really. It was for all of them. And… it was for _her._ _Oh, but I really don't want to do this! It's nothing but cold-blooded murder! How can I even think about that? Please, dear God and everyone, forgive me._

"I… I will… kill the remaining two Pale Blood bearers."

_I'm nothing but a monster. A disgusting, evil monster! _

Kol nodded, completely oblivious to her shaky voice. "That should be enough to send you to the Other Side, and it would eliminate the remaining risk for the family. And it will kill you due to your connection with them."

Klaus took a step towards her now. Without looking at his brothers, he quietly said, "Elijah, Kol, would you mind giving Caroline and me some privacy for a while? Come back here in an hour, if you will."

Rising from his chair, Elijah grabbed Kol's arm and pulled him up. "Of course, brother. We will reconvene in an hour."

* * *

Once the two other Mikaelsons had left, Caroline took a sip from Elijah's wine to brace herself for an hour of Klaus' wrath poured out over her. But he was silent now, staring down at her with a cryptic expression on his face. After a while, he shook his head.

"Apart from this being so out of the question I cannot even find words for it, there are too many variables to your scenario. We do not know what dangers await you on the Other Side, we do not know if we can extract the composition of the permanent resuscitation spell from Bonnie, we do not know how long it will take Davina to reach the level of expertise required to perform this spell. But all of this is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that you would _die_, Caroline."

"I already died once and I survived that, too."

With an impatient gesture, he wiped her objection away. "I am serious. I am most definitely not agreeing to any of this. My Gods, woman, have you still not understood what you mean to me?"

Caroline's heart swelled and broke at the same time upon hearing his strained voice and seeing the desperate fear in his eyes. She was just as afraid as he was of not seeing him again, but she believed in him. He would move heaven and earth to bring her back, and they _would_ live eternity together.

"Niklaus, it is _because_ I know what I mean to you that I will do this! I will not have you live in constant fear for my safety for the rest of eternity just because that creepy mother of yours had me bound to the lives of humans who can die any given day. We will be together for all aeons to come, and I want you to live up to your promise of putting down the sword for some time after this is over. If you have to spend every day in apprehension over whether the Pale Blood bearers might go extinct, you will never be able to do that. And I want to eliminate any chance of you and our family ever getting killed."

In a few steps, he was in front of her chair and knelt down, taking her hands in his and looking up into her eyes. "Answer me one question."

"Of course," she mumbled, squeezing his hands and yearning for him to take her into his arms.

"Do you at all remember what the separation – that incidentally ended only a few weeks ago – did to both of us?"

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were moist from the memory of the excruciating pain the two of them had had to go through without each other. Still, she had to remain focused. It would be different this time. They both knew it would be a temporary separation, and they both knew what they were fighting for. "Neither of us will fall off the wagon this time around, Niklaus. You have a task to accomplish here, and I will be safe on the Other Side. It will be something like my sanctuary until everything is over, if you will."

Klaus snarled. Before she realized what was happening, he flashed her to their bed, pushing her against the headboard and straddling her. Looking up at him wide-eyed, Caroline held her breath when he brought her face to his and very carefully kissed the corner of her mouth. "Do you really want to be without this again?" he whispered, his hands buried in her hair, his lips so soft and warm against her skin.

"Or this?" He kissed the other corner of her mouth while his fingers moved on to tenderly stroke the nape of her neck. Caroline's eyes closed, and she had never felt more tempted to just give in to his sweet, feather-light touches and let him make her forget all their worries.

"And how about this?" he breathed right before covering her mouth with his, tasting her lips, her tongue, her skin. They lost themselves in the loving, exquisite kiss that made them just sink into each other's arms and give, give, give. There was no taking this time, there was nothing beyond the blind desire to lavish the other with everything they had. With the greatest of efforts, Caroline finally broke the kiss.

"No, I never want to be without this, without _you_ again, which is why I have to do this. _We _have to do this. Do you seriously believe I am enthusiastic about having to leave you again, even if only for a while? Do you think I am looking forward to dying? I am terrified, Niklaus, and I hate the thought like crazy. But… can I ask you a favour, my love?" she said gently, running her hands over his arms and his back.

He exhaled and bit his lip. "I am not very inclined to do you any favours right now," he growled, but it was with considerably less force than his earlier snarls.

"Consider what I said for a little while. I'll join Elijah and Kol, or I will stay here with you, whichever you prefer. Try to assume the warrior perspective you always tackle any challenges from. And then tell me what you think. Would you do that for me?" she asked, looking at him very sternly.

It was clear he was going through a major internal struggle. He wanted to deny her request point-blank but he couldn't. She had always listened to him, however little she might have liked his train of thought at times, and there was no way he could refuse to at least think about her proposal. After a long while, he nodded. "I will." Then he moved to lean against the headboard right next to her. "Stay."

With a sigh of infinite relief, Caroline wormed herself into his embrace, smiling at how he pulled her against his chest and kissed her hair. Then he fell silent and she closed her eyes, trying to relax and maybe even doze off a little.

About half an hour later, she felt him stir and sleepily opened her eyes, stretching against his body and enjoying how he pulled her closer and held her tight, his hands possessively on her back. All of a sudden, he began to whisper, his lips almost touching her earlobe.

"I cannot agree to this, my darling. From a strategic standpoint, it is certainly not the worst of ideas, but what do you think will happen to my mind and to my heart if I have to watch you die? Do you seriously believe I would be able to concentrate on what I need to do for so much as a single minute? No, my Caroline. We will have to find another way." He sounded final, and she had expected he would say that. But the more she thought about her plan, the more she was convinced it was the right thing to do. It would take the joint efforts of her, Elijah and Kol to make him see reason, but they just had to succeed.

Sneaking her head into the curve of his shoulder, she slid one hand under his Henley until it came to rest on his bare skin. She didn't stroke him but just let her warmth flow from her to him. "Once I'm on the Other Side, absolutely nothing can happen to me and you are free to fully focus on what you and our family have to do in order to save us all from extinction. Look, Niklaus, don't you think being together without any further worries about you and your siblings getting killed is worth a short separation?"

Klaus shook his head. "First, nothing could ever be worth losing you over it. Nothing. Second, we have no idea just how long we would be separated. I do not doubt that Davina has a keen mind and is a quick learner, but it could take a very long time until she is ready to perform the resuscitation spell that will bring you back permanently, not temporarily. Third, I will _never_ allow you to burden your conscience, your light, with the murder of two innocent humans. I hope you will concede that I do know you a little bit, my love, and you would never be able to live with this kind of remorse, whatever or whomever you believe you did it for."

_He knows me so well. But how could I transition to the Other Side, then? And if I don't die from killing those two people, then how…? _

With a loving smile, she sat up and straddled him now, wrapping her legs around his waist and brushing her knuckle over his cheek. "You are right, Niklaus, and I'm sure we'll find another way to get me to the Other Side. So tell me, what risks do you see? Davina will be able to do this sooner rather than later, and other than us risking to be apart for some time, what hazards are there?" she inquired, her eyes on his tense face.

His head dropped back against the headboard as he groaned. "The risk is my losing you! And under no circumstances whatsoever will I consent to any plan that includes even the most minimal possibility of that happening!" He grabbed her face, and Caroline's heart clenched painfully at hearing the agony in his voice. "When I found you in Ushuaia, I told you that I was a warrior but that I was not strong enough to fight the loss of you ever again. I meant what I said."

"Which is why you will not lose me, and I will not lose you. You are the strongest and most powerful being in the world, and you will defeat our enemies in no time to bring me back as quickly as you can. Just as I will summon all my strength to withstand the darkness on the Other Side and return to you with my light intact. We can do this. Nothing, not even death, is strong enough to break our bond, Signum or no Signum. Do you doubt that?" she challenged.

Shaking his head, he replied, "No, of course I do not doubt that for a second." He inhaled. "Caroline, will you do me a favour now?" She nodded. "Take me in your arms and close your eyes. Then put yourself in my shoes. Think about this scenario with reversed roles – I am suggesting to get myself killed and transition to the Other Side, and you are the one who has to stay behind and watch me die."

_Ugh. Low blow. Very low blow._ But she did as he asked, wrapping her arms around him and resting her cheek against his, inhaling his scent the way she always did when he was so close. Squeezing her eyes shut, she conjured images of Klaus being staked with White Oak. Desiccating. Dying. The pain that shot through her at the picture was suffocating. She pressed herself against him, feeling his arms encaging her in his embrace. "See what I mean?"he murmured, "It frightens me just as deeply."

They held each other silently, each of them lost in their vision of their own personal hell. But Caroline knew she mustn't let him dissuade her from her plan. It was also clear that she needed more support and some other points of view. She needed her brothers-in-law.

"Compromise?" she asked quietly. "How about we discuss this with Elijah and Kol, looking at it from all possible angles and going through every little detail? If at the end of that conversation you still say there is a better way, I will go with whatever you suggest. Deal?"

"Caroline, I…"

She put a finger on his lips and shook her head. "You are not agreeing to my idea. You are merely agreeing to _talk about_ it, okay?"

* * *

She was going to die.

Caroline could still not really wrap her head around the thought, even though it had admittedly been her own idea. It had taken them hours of tedious discussion. Elijah, Kol and she had finally ganged up on Klaus after Elijah had switched sides, and Klaus hadn't taken kindly to it. All three of them had sat through his tantrum unmoving, knowing exactly how he felt, letting him take out his black rage and his bone-deep fear on them without saying a single word. When he was finally done and saw that she hadn't changed her mind, he had just looked at her and muttered, _"Do what you will. But do it without me."_ Caroline had shaken her head, a sudden overwhelming panic in her eyes, and that panic was what had finally made him give in t her desperate plea. _"No. I need you, Niklaus. I have to know that you are the one running the show. I have to know that my husband, the freaking Original Hybrid, is taking on the world for me. Otherwise I will not have the strength for any of this. Let's do this together, my love. For our family. For us. Please."_

And now they were on their way to a Black Witch who was living in the depths of the woods outside of Jackson. Elijah had met the woman once, many years ago, and he pointed out that one Black Witch was as good as the other when it came to relatively simple dark magic, and a recluse like this particular witch could be expected not to be on vervain. To her secret, immense relief, Klaus had categorically refused to let Caroline kill anyone in order to ensure her transition to the Other Side, and in the end there had been general consensus that she was to use the services of a Black Witch as it supposedly had the same effect when done out of purely selfish purposes. She had been racking her brains to come up with something to ask of the witch, but there had been no stroke of genius so far.

Klaus was silent, staring at the road ahead. He hadn't looked at her ever since they had left Natchez. It worried her, as she really didn't want to spend her last couple of days at odds with him. She needed his love, his strength, his warmth, and more than anything, she needed him to tell her that all would be well in the end. Caroline was deeply scared of what was awaiting her on the Other Side, and Klaus was the only one who could take her anxiety. She knew he was relentlessly fighting his own desperate fear, but still… _Please, Niklaus! I need you more than ever. _

Arriving at the rim of the forest, Klaus parked the car on a tiny path and killed the engine. When Caroline opened the door, she took in the comforting sounds of nature. Birds chirping, leaves rustled by the wind, the occasional animal paw touching the dry grounds, then being swallowed by moss. The trees were very tall, allowing for little light to penetrate their majestic shadows, and the air was fresh and clean. Another small moment of realizing how beautiful the world was… and how terrified she was at having to leave it.

"Let us go," Klaus interrupted her reverie, his voice detached and cool. _No. I just can't bear this distance, not now, not ever. It hurts, don't you see that? _She felt fear make its way to the surface, welling up inside her like a geyser and sending bitter tears to her eyes. Sagging against the nearest tree, she buried her face in her hands and wept.

Not even two seconds later she was in his arms, feeling him surrounding her and making her whole again. "You wanted this, Caroline," he whispered in a broken voice.

"No," she murmured, "I don't _want_ this. Not in the least. But it is the only reasonable thing to do, can't you see that? We've been through this a gazillion times by now. Please, can you just be there for me?" Moving back a little, she stared into his face, her heart aching at the sheer beauty it held for her. "Niklaus, I'm scared. I'm so incredibly frightened!"

Swallowing, he took her face in his hands, gently caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. "I know that you are, my sweet girl. As am I. And however mad I am at you and at this whole situation, however long it will take me to forgive you for even bringing this up, it changes nothing about the fact that I love you so very wildly." Her heart did a little imaginary double-take. "You will need all of your courage for the Other Side, and I will help you gather it. I am unspeakably angry, Caroline, but I know that if I do not consent to your death, you will find a way to take matters into your own hands, and that I can most definitely not allow, even with my brothers at your side. But you may rest assured that when all this is over, I will spend weeks just yelling at you."

"Does today count to that?" she asked with a timid smile, wanting to mellow his mood but not yet confident enough to really tease.

He lifted a corner of his mouth but the smile did not quite reach his eyes. "No. That was merely the ouverture." His grip on her face tightened. "I want your word, Caroline. Your word that until this is over, you will do everything I say and that once you are on the Other Side, you will fight your fear and everything else at full force. Swear it to me."

She placed one hand over his heart and the other one over her own. "I swear. And I want your promise that you will not lose your head, that you will not let your worry over me strangle you."

Looking her in the eyes for a very long moment, he covered her hands with his. "I swear."

Taking a step closer, she whispered, "Will you kiss me?"

His arms came around her, one hand resting between her shoulder blades, the other sneaking towards the small of her back. Very unhurriedly, he lowered his head until his soft, strong lips gently brushed hers. They sighed in unison, and for one single moment, Caroline was completely content.

* * *

The Black Witch's house reminded her a little of Hagrid's shack in the Harry Potter movies. It was round, made of sturdy stone and had a smoking chimney on its cone-shaped roof. Nestled in what was the darkest clearing Caroline had ever seen, it definitely did have fairy-tale qualities, although it was rather Grimm style.

Before they could knock, the door opened to reveal a very old woman. Her hair was of an icy grey, almost the exact same colour as her eyes which Caroline found strangely fascinating. Her face was not weathered the way Anna's had been, but it was completely wrinkle-free and flawless. She gazed at the two of them with narrowed eyes, and her voice was surprisingly clear and strong when she spoke.

"Vampires. No, not quite. A vampire and a Hybrid." She cocked her head, and her eyes turned to slits. "The _Original_ Hybrid, even. What brings you to this godforsaken place, Klaus Mikaelson?"

"My wife." He gestured towards Caroline. "She has something to ask of you. What is your name, witch?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but my name is Jemima."

"Very Dixie indeed. Now that we have adhered to the rules of common courtesy, can we proceed?"

The old woman gave a quick laugh. "Call me crazy, but I can't see a single reason why I should do anything whatsoever for you. No offense, Hybrid, but I'm no hired carnival fortune-teller. You of all people should have access to any witch anywhere, and…"

Klaus was right in front of the witch, his pupils dilating. Caroline had to remind herself that unlike regular vampires, Originals _could _indeed compel non-Original witches. She had actually forgotten that fact, as almost all of the witches she had ever encountered in Mystic Falls or even New Orleans were on vervain ever since the Originals had come out of hiding and were no longer on the run from Mikael.

"You will do as you are being told. Whatever my wife or I ask of you, you will do. You will not attempt any other magic than the one you are ordered to perform. You will answer any questions truthfully, and you will not remember having been compelled. Neither will you remember us after we left."

With a nod, the old witch turned towards Caroline. "What is it you want from me, vampire?"

_Come on, Caroline, think quickly! It has to be something really egoistical, something you want only for yourself. Something that requires Black Magic. What could it be?_ Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she looked the older woman straight in the face.

"I want the ability to move freely on the Other Side should I … should I ever die."

Silv had once told her that not everyone on the Other Side was free to move around as they pleased. The half-world was apparently divided into numerous parts, and only some witches and warlocks were capable of moving between those sectors. Vampires, werewolves and humans were commonly confined to their own areas, but there were some exceptions. Silv had mentioned that it was a spell that could only be accomplished by Black Witches due to the nature of its essence – being related to the Other Side – and that not many witches or warlocks had ever performed it for fear of repercussions after they died. The Old Witches liked to determine by themselves whom they did and did not deem worthy of unlimited mobility. This was egoistical indeed, as not only did Caroline not want to be restricted in any way once she reached the Other Side, it would also imply trouble for the witch after her own death. _No time to feel sorry now. Remember that the Other Side will be destroyed eventually, so she will be fine._

Klaus nodded while Jemima stared at her, apparently dumbstruck. But she had no choice. "Let us go inside. The preparations for this spell will take quite some time. I will need your blood… and yours, Hybrid. The Original Witch's blood runs through your veins, which will strengthen the spell and will also increase your wife's physical substance on the Other Side."

It was hours later when the old woman finally looked up from her table where she had been working with their blood and a number of other ingredients and props while consulting her grimoire and two other ancient books. "Done. Are you ready, vampire?"

Rising from the chair she had been sitting on for the last few hours, Caroline stepped up to the table and took the phial Jemima was holding out to her. She looked over at Klaus who had been observing every step of the process, waiting for his assent. He bit his lip and inclined his head, making her take a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she downed the contents of the little glass container, trying to concentrate solely on the faint taste of her husband's blood and ignoring the other ingredients. The witch raised her arms and began to speak. It did not take long for Caroline to notice a wave of cold race through her. Then there was a second one, still cold, but _different_ somehow. A third, fourth, fifth and sixth rush of cold hit her, each of them completely unlike the previous one. Caroline had always believed that cold was cold, but she had obviously been mistaken. One moment, she felt like being pierced with icy needles, the next it was like a giant freezing paintbrush was running all over her body, then the cold raced through her in waves and so on, until finally, a bone-deep chill exploded inside her. She longed desperately for Klaus' warmth but she just stood still, letting it all happen.

Silence descended over the room when Jemima was done. Klaus rose from his chair and examined Caroline closely. "How are you feeling, my love?" he asked quietly.

"I'm okay. There were so many different sensations of freezing," she said thoughtfully, running a hand over her arm.

The witch cocked her head. "Those represented the sectors on the Other Side. There are six in total. One is exclusive to the Old Witches and Warlocks, those who have been there almost since the day the Other Side was created or have somehow earned their spot among them. The next one belongs to regular witches and warlocks. Most of them are dark magicians, but there are some others as well. They have tampered with Black Magic on this plane or committed other dark acts like murder or rape, using magic for those purposes, and were therefore confined to the Other Side. There is one sector for vampires, one for werewolves and one for humans, those who have courted Black Magic in some shape or form during their lifetime." She paused and shuffled over to her stove, filling a seasoned kettle with water and turning on the gas.

"That's five. What is the sixth area?" Caroline asked in a small voice.

There was more silence, and the three of them stared at the kettle until it boiled and the witch poured the water over some herbs she had filled into a large mug. The brew smelled sweet, almost floral, but the old woman did not offer them any. _Well, that _would_ be too much to ask, wouldn't it?_ Her voice was wary when she spoke again.

"The sixth sector is a place of perdition. It is not limited to one species. In it you will find those whose mind is in eternal limbo, the outcasts, the ones that are too far gone to be tolerated in any of the other areas. And those who have been sent there by the Old Witches as a punishment. If there is one place that resembles the general human idea of hell, it is the sixth sector."

Caroline suppressed a shiver. "What could happen to me on the Other Side?"

Jemima sighed and took a sip of her herbal brew, grimacing at the heat. Looking up at Caroline, she said, "Physically, nothing. You are already dead once you arrive there, so there is no major harm that can be done to you, despite the fact that you have a corporal form. That is not how the Other Side works. It is your mind that is in peril. Those who are being banished to the sixth sector are mainly those who were not strong enough to bear the mental pressure they have been exposed to. Apart from how the Old Witches rule with an iron fist and there is continuous fighting for privileges, the Other Side figuratively lives and breathes hate, fear, malice and everything dark and negative. And there is boredom. Endless, agonizing boredom. You have to be very strong-willed not to yield to despair and hopelessness. As there is nothing, absolutely nothing positive or bright at all, you mainly have two choices: succumb to desperation or embrace the darkness."

_Okay, I'm no longer sure this was such a great idea after all. But… I will be able to overcome a limited time without going crazy, won't I?_

Shaking her head, Caroline raised her hands. "How could anyone want that? I mean, knowing what the Other Side is like, what would motivate anyone to become a Black Witch?"

The old woman laughed now. "You can only ever see the Other Side _after _you have become a Black Witch. Before that, you can contact the Old Witches or other persons you seek out, but you will never see more than their faces and bodies. You have no idea what it is like. Only after you have irrevocably turned to darkness do they let you see what awaits you."

Now Klaus was clearing his throat and she felt his hand on her shoulder, calming, soothing. "We will leave you now, witch, and you will not remember any of what happened here today."

With one last look at Jemima, Caroline let him lead her from the small hut. Once outside, they flashed back towards the car, slowing down when they reached the rim of the forest. Suddenly, Klaus grabbed her arm and pulled her around. "Caroline, will you please let me devise an alternative plan?"

"Okay, it does admittedly sound pretty scary, but the one important thing is that nothing can happen to me there. It will be hard, I don't doubt that, but I can do it, Niklaus! Can't you just have a little faith in me?"

"I have every faith in you, my love, but…"

"No," Caroline cut in resolutely, "no more buts. Are you in or out?"

His jaw set, and she knew how he loathed having anyone force his decisions. But he would rather adopt Damon than let her do this by herself, and she had understood long ago that he would never impose his will on her against her wishes, however hard it still was for him at times. "I will never forgive you for putting us both through this, Caroline."

"And I will never stop loving you for so much as a second. How about that?"

"That is beside the point," he growled, but the way he took her in his arms told a completely different story.


	34. The Last Will Be First

**Buíochas a ghabháil leat go mór, Éire! :)**

**Thank you so much Bekki, Marie, Justine, Tricia, Ana20 and the anons - and everyone who is taking the time to read, follow, favourite etc.! :)  
**

**A somewhat shorter chapter today, hope you'll all enjoy... ;)**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

THE LAST WILL BE FIRST

They were on their way back to New Orleans, just a couple of miles out of Baton Rouge, when Klaus suddenly left the Interstate and followed a small road along the river, passing a few minor villages until they arrived at what looked like a true Southern plantation. There were quite a number of cars in the parking lot when they pulled up to the place. It was a stately mansion, surrounded by old trees and a park with lawns, ponds and a little fountain.

The instant he had killed the engine, Klaus pulled out his phone.

"Elijah, we are postponing everything by one day. Caroline and I will be arriving tomorrow." Without another word, he broke the connection and turned to her. "Will you give me twenty-four hours to just be with you? To say a proper goodbye?"

"Don't call it that," she whispered, "this is not goodbye. This is 'until we meet again'. And yes, of course I want this day with you, how can you even have to ask?"

After checking into a suite that Klaus assured her was indeed a very accurate copy of the Civil War era, they just walked through the park, enjoying the mild evening air and watching the sun set. There was not much conversation, but she felt their bond so strongly again. It wasn't just the fact that she was going to die and they would be separated for an unknown length of time. Klaus trusted her. Incredible as it sounded to her, he trusted her judgment and her strength enough to agree to what she was about to do, even if very reluctantly so, and that was what made her feel their connection so very powerfully tonight.

His arm was around her shoulders just as she had slung hers around his waist, welding them together. Out of the corner of her eye, Caroline saw his rigid face. She wished there was something she could give him, something to show him how deeply she trusted him and how unspeakably precious he was to her. Something to make him believe that everything was possible and there was nothing they would not give for each other. And then it hit her. _Of course! But he would have to… agree to something he hates… again. Still, I want to try! _

Dinner was over quickly. Neither of them was hungry, despite the mouthwatering, artful display of haute cuisine that was set out on their table. All they wanted was to be alone, to be with each other, and the moment they looked into one another's face, it was clear to both of them. Without further ado, they left the dining room and made their way up to their suite. Caroline was a little nervous at what she was about to suggest, knowing she was straining him enough as it was. When she closed the door behind them, she leaned against it, her eyes on him.

"Caroline," he murmured, standing in front of her with his head lowered, "I do not know what to make of this. On one hand, I yearn to hold your beautiful, perfect body in my arms, to make love to you until the very moment we will have to leave, but there is another feeling. One that tells me to give you something more tonight, and I have no idea what it is."

"I do," she replied, tenderly stroking his face and very, very softly kissing his cheek. "Niklaus, I would like you to let me give you a dream."

She had expected him to protest, to turn her down immediately and to tell her she was overdoing it. Having to lose her, giving up his last little bit of control… It was everything she knew he felt and hated. What she had definitely _not_ expected was a smile.

"Can I be awake with you for another little while before you do that, my darling? I would like to have a drink and have you tell me about where you want to travel first when all this is finally over."

Moving into his arms and trying to absorb her surprise at his serene reaction, she sighed contentedly and nodded. "I'd love that."

A few hours later, Klaus had finally fallen asleep in her arms. His last, sleepy words before slipping into oblivion were, "I trust you, my Caroline. Implicitly." She had almost started to cry, but she held it together. There was a little present she wanted to give him tonight. If she was to be perfectly honest, it was for herself as much as it was for him, but she supposed it didn't lessen the message. Stretching out next to him, she pulled him into her arms, smiling at how this time it was actually he who unconsciously snuggled into _her_ embrace. Touching her lips to his temple, she closed her eyes.

* * *

_Paris again? Klaus smiled as he gazed down from the terrace garden of the Presidential Suite at Fouquet's Barrière. He knew he was dreaming, but it did not feel like a dream. It felt very real and even a little different from the first dream she had given him. Taking in the city's magical silhouette, he let himself be filled with sheer delight at the prospect of everything he would show her once they would finally travel to Paris together. He was certain she would love the ancient city as much as he did._

_When he heard a sound at the terrace doors, he turned around and his breath caught at seeing his girl barefoot, an almost transparent, floor-length champagne coloured silk négligée floating around her. She was wearing no makeup whatsoever, her face was flushed and her hair was cascading over her shoulders in soft, golden waves. She was absolutely stunning._

_ "Caroline," he whispered, taking a few steps towards her. Then he stopped dead at hearing her heart pounding in her chest, a strong, solid and steady sound. "You are… _human_?"_

_She held out her hand and he crossed the distance, taking it and turning it around, pressing a soft, sweet kiss to the inside of her wrist, lingering on her skin and feeling her pulse beating against his lips. Running a hand through his hair, she pulled his head up to hers and gave him a lovely smile that all but made his insides melt. She was always beautiful and breathtaking to him, every minute of every day, but there was a special allure about her tonight._

_"Does it bother you?" she asked shyly, blushing a little and looking up at him nervously. "My being human, I mean?" For reasons that completely eluded him, he felt even more protective of her than he ever had before, and the mere thought that she could be worried or uncomfortable in his presence was unsettling. He cupped her cheek and touched his lips to hers, tasting the celestial sweetness of her lips and inhaling sharply when her tongue began to gently play with his. The more he savoured of her mouth, the hungrier he became, and the way she shivered in his arms did nothing to appease his need for her. His lips moved to cover every inch of her neck, and between his passionate kisses and her shaky moans, he shook his head._

_"How could it bother me? You, my incredible girl, are the woman I love. In whatever shape or form I encounter you, be it as a vampire, a human or Sasquatch, you will always be mine. Nothing you do, say or become could ever diminish my feelings for you."_

_He stepped back and held her at arm's length. Her face was shining, and her smile could have lit up the entire city of Paris. Without another word, she turned around and held out her hand for him to follow. The bedroom they stepped into a moment later was very large, dominated by a king-sized bed with crisp, white covers and elegant silver cushions. Klaus' gaze fell on the nightstand and a light grin split his face at the sight of the champagne cooler. It was a bottle of Clos d'Ambonnay. A special occasion, it would seem, and he moved to swiftly open the wine, pouring two flutes and holding one out to Caroline. _

_"To you, my adorable Mrs. Mikaelson," he smiled and took a sip of the champagne, his eyes closing at the amazing flavor. He opened them again when she answered._

_"To what is, has always been and will always be yours, Niklaus."_

_He was puzzled for a second, but he did not have the inclination to question her. Not now. She was just too overwhelming, too enticing for him to waste another minute without touching her. Taking her glass out of her hands and replacing both flutes on the nightstand, he pulled her into a passionate kiss, reminding himself that he needed to be somewhat gentler than usual. His Caroline was human tonight. The sensation was new, but not so much so that he would have doubted for a second that it was his wife he was holding._

_His lips conquered her neck and her throat again and he reveled in the helpless desire he could discern in her moans whenever his mouth touched her heated skin. His hand descended slowly, taking its time to caress her shoulder before very gradually moving to cup her breast through the thin silk of her négligée, all the while he never stopped his ministrations on the delicate skin of her neck. Caroline exhaled sharply when his thumb began to tease her already hardened nipple through the silk, and she pressed the entire length of her body to his, making him moan with the sudden friction of his hard cock against her core. Her hands were on his hips, sneaking under his shirt and beginning to explore the bare skin of his waist, leaving a trace of fire that made him gasp the way he always did whenever she touched any part of his body._

_In one quick movement, he had pulled his shirt over his head. There was nothing he wanted more than to feel her fingers on his back, his chest, his abs. "Touch me, my Caroline. Please. Just touch me."_

_His whispered plea made her heartbeat quicken which he found incredibly endearing, and he closed his eyes at the divine way she stroked his body. From the very beginning, there had been something about her touch that had driven him crazy, and it was no different in his dreams. She took her time to touch and kiss every little spot on his chest, almost breathing him in. The way she wanted him, the way she enjoyed and all but worshipped his body was nothing short of a miracle to Klaus. _

_"I would love to look at you," he whispered huskily, his skin burning from her touch._

_"Yes," Caroline murmured, sending a shiver down his spine. _

_Letting his fingers slip beneath the tiny straps that were holding the delicate silk, he did not take his eyes from hers when he let the fabric fall to the floor in an almost inaudible whisper. There she stood, his woman, his wife, in all the perfection she was to him. His eyes feasted on her translucent, light skin, her soft breasts, her endless legs… and her center. Gods, he had seen her naked body so often by now, and yet it never ceased to amaze him just how lovely she was. And each time he looked at her, it felt like that night back in France when he had first laid eyes on her divine body, glowing in the moonlight. _

_Scooping her up in his arms, he covered her lips with his and gently lowered her onto the mattress, kissing her until they were both gasping for air. With a mischievous gleam in his eyes, he grabbed one of the champagne flutes and took a sip before crushing her mouth with his. With a drowned moan, Caroline greedily drank the champagne from his mouth before licking his lips for the last few drops. "More," she demanded. This time, she didn't wait until he lowered his face to hers but sat up and pulled him to her the second the champagne was in his mouth. They both moaned delicately, their hands roaming each other's skin while they shared the delicious taste. _

_Klaus pushed her down again, holding her as he took the second glass. He dipped his little finger into the liquid and let one single drop trickle onto her hard nipple. Caroline's eyes popped wide open as he lowered his mouth to lick the champagne from her breast, his tongue lingering on her nipple long after the wine was gone. _

_"Niklaus," she managed to rasp, "what…"_

_At that very moment, Klaus spilled some champagne onto the little space between her breasts, and she almost cried out at the cool sensation of the wine and his hot tongue that had begun to lick it off her heated skin. He continued to pour more and more champagne over her, his tongue following the path of each minuscule stream that traced down her body. Her head had fallen back and her eyes were closed, her lips parted. Very inconspicuously, he moved further south, almost going out of his mind at the pleasures that were awaiting him now. Nothing was as overwhelmingly divine as making love to Caroline's hot, wet core with his tongue, and he would not deprive himself of it for another second._

_In a flash, he had pulled her legs over his shoulders and delved into her sex, feeling a tingle run through his entire body at her deep, sensual groan. By all the Gods, she was so erotic it was almost painful! Oh, and her taste! There was something a little different about it tonight, but he had no time to think about what it meant. He let his tongue circle her clit, then he languidly licked the length of her before pushing into her soaking heat. Her hands gripped the sheets as he reveled in her little cries, and her hoarse pleas almost made him start to beg as well._

_"Yes, oh please… just like that… more… more… You are a freaking _devil_!" The last word was more of a scream when she came wildly, making him moan into her orgasm, wishing it would never, ever stop. His tongue continued to circle her throbbing clit, and he just did not seem to be able to get enough of her sweet taste. When her frantic gasps began to slow down, he knelt and pulled her up to him, kissing her for all he was worth._

_Breaking the kiss after a while, she leaned back and looked at him, her eyes so full of love and desire that it made him wonder for the millionth time just how he of all people could have been this lucky. His heart clenched when she murmured, "Very slowly."_

_Cupping her breasts, he kissed them both lingeringly before he nodded. "It shall be my absolute pleasure, my darling." His hands tenderly caressed her upper body, making her sigh and close her eyes in sheer bliss. He felt his cock twitch and knew he could not wait very much longer. His need to be inside her, to be completely and entirely united, was becoming more and more acute. It was not only his desire that was so urgent, it was something else, something that had to do with love, with feelings, with deep emotions. With making her his and giving himself into her hands. _

_Positioning himself at her entrance, he felt a small shiver race through her and saw her gazing up at him. There was a strange kind of nervousness in her eyes but at the same time, they were so trusting it made everything inside him come undone. _

_"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson, and everything I am belongs to you. Everything."_

_He could not say a word, he just stared at her and hoped she would be able to read that he loved her even more than that. _

_Very, very gently, he entered her soft, wet core, closing his eyes at the hot tightness that surrounded him and welcomed him home. All of a sudden, he stopped dead. _

_There was… a barrier. This was… she was… Gods! His head jerked up, and he locked his incredulous eyes with hers._

_"Caroline," he whispered, completely lost, "what… are you… doing?"_

_With a smile so tender it sent another arrow through his heart, she cupped his face with her hands. "I am giving you the one thing I can't really give you anymore." When he began to speak, she shook her head and put a finger on his lips. "Shh. We both know you will be the last. And after tonight, we will always remember this as my first time. In my memory, there will never be anyone but you, ever again. Love me, Niklaus."_

_Desperately fighting down the emotions that were threatening to drown him, he lowered his body onto hers, supporting his weight on his elbows. With infinite care, he moved forward, penetrating the little barrier and sensing her tense beneath him. "I will stop the instant you tell me to," he whispered, strangled by his feelings when he saw a single tear slipping out of her eye. _

_"Don't you dare," she smiled, biting her lip and wrapping her arms around him._

_Inch by sweet and overwhelming inch, he entered her further until he was fully sheathed. It felt beyond incredible to understand what she had just given him. He had always deemed it unimportant not to have been Caroline's first lover, but this… this was… He had no words for everything that was washing over him right now. Love, protectiveness, disbelief – and a wave of possessiveness that surpassed anything he had ever experienced. Caroline was his, and his alone. She was doing this to tell him that no one else had ever meant to her what he did. _

_"Are you all right, my angel?" he asked almost timidly. She nodded, smiling up at him and pulling his face to hers for a searing kiss. While their tongues were engaged in a loving battle, he began to move very delicately, distracting her from the remnants of the short moment of pain by deepening the kiss and then turning her head to the side to have full access to her neck which he knew to be one of her most sensitive areas. His lips, tongue and teeth devoured her soft skin and made her moan deeply, so he gradually increased his moves, giving her time to adjust to him after each gentle thrust. Bit by bit, he noticed how she began to meet his thrusts, and he smiled when he pulled the first little gasp from her with a roll of his hips. Soon, her moans became louder and she tore her eyes open to look at him while he made love to her with his entire body. And his whole heart._

_Their eyes were locked on each other, speaking as eloquently as words never could, telling an epic tale of something they had both never believed could happen to them. It was a dream. But it was their reality._

_His self control almost crumbled when she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper into her, now meeting his thrusts one by one. Klaus felt his climax build inside him, but he needed her to be there with him. Adjusting his angle, he began to push deeper, and when he saw her eyes widenin ecstasy, he knew he had found her spot. With every thrust, he brought her closer and closer until she sank into the cushions, her back arching from the mattress and her body tensing. It took him two more moves to send her tumbling over the cliffs, following her immediately and wrapping her into his embrace, riding out their orgasm until they both collapsed into each other._

_With his last little bit of strength, he whispered in a ragged voice that betrayed just how shaken he truly was, "Thank you, my unbelievable Caroline. You could not have given me a more amazing gift. I am at a complete loss for words to tell you just how much this means to me."_

_"Just think about it for another second and tell me…"_

"… once you are awake." She smiled as he opened his eyes with some effort. When his gaze focused on her face, she found herself pinned to the bed and ravenously devoured by his mouth. His hands roamed through her hair, and Caroline had the feeling he didn't know what to do first, judging by the desperate way his hands and lips were all over her.

After a couple of minutes, he slowed down and took her face in his hands, kissing her so deeply it made her want to melt into him.

"Sweet heavens, Caroline! That was… why did you… I mean… Gods, I sound like a stuttering baboon." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "This was the single most beautiful dream you could have given me, my darling girl. I am… speechless. And I am more than grateful."

She pulled him into his arms and nudged his head to rest on her shoulder. "To be perfectly honest, I did it for the two of us. You see, my first time wasn't… well, not the way it should have been. I wanted to give this to you, but I also wanted to give it to myself. My first time with you was so breathtaking, I think I shivered for days, and I often thought about how amazing that would have been as my first time ever. By the way, how did you manage to take control of parts of the dream? Licking Krug off me wasn't my idea… and… ah… we should…"

Laughing, he kissed her neck. "And we will. That is a promise. As for the dream, I am still the Original Hybrid. Control freak, remember? But in all honesty, I can only guess that my power over my own mind is still somewhat superior to yours and I was therefore able to manipulate parts of the dream, overriding your influence. Although please rest assured that I did not do it to take the dream away from you, it was just what I felt like doing at that moment."

"Did you hear me complain, Wolverine?" With a giggle, she pulled him up to press a kiss to his throat when something caught her eye. She jerked up and stared at Klaus' neck. "Niklaus," she whispered, gesturing towards her own skin, "look."

He sat up in a blur and examined her neck as she was gaping at his.

The Signum had turned golden.

* * *

Klaus and Caroline stared at each other for what seemed an eternity. A million thoughts raced through her mind, some small and incoherent, some gargantuan, loud and epic. But she couldn't put them into order, so she just let them whirl around her head while looking at the man she was so deeply connected to. And it wasn't just because of some supernatural mark; no, what she had given him had been purely from Caroline, the woman, to Niklaus, the man. It had been a part of her humanity, and she knew that the tie between them, while forged within the world of the supernatural, was in its essence a human bond of love, trust and friendship. The supernatural added to the strength with its own symbols and meanings, but the foundation of their connection was entirely human.

"It would seem you were correct in your assumption, my love. The Signum turns golden through unimpaired trust, through purity and innocence. What you gave me tonight was more than a dream, Caroline, it was a token of how you trust me above everyone else, and at the same time, I gave you my utter trust in voluntarily letting you take command of my mind. And I believe that your readiness to freely and willingly give something as precious as your innocence to someone as nefarious as I am has also played a significant role. But I did not want to slide into a discourse. How do you feel, my sweet little one?"

"Like an idiot," she murmured, pressing the ball of her hand against her forehead. "This is such a monumental thing – our Signum turned golden, you are now able to destroy the Other Side, and all I can think of is… oh, just ignore me. So what will happen now? Do we change any of our plans, or…?"

"Stop it right there," Klaus interrupted. "Would you please care to explain to me what in the name of the Gods could make you feel like an idiot?"

With a deep sigh, she leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes for an instant. "It felt so real," she whispered, swallowing to remove the big lump in her throat, "and even if I sound like someone from a cheap paperback novel, all I can think of is how much I _wanted _it to be real."

His eyes turned soft and he brushed his knuckles across her cheek. "As did I. I was surprised at how much it did mean to me, when all you ever heard me say was that it did not matter that I was not your first lover. Look, my love, not even the supernatural is powerful enough to turn back time, but you and I know what tonight meant to us, what we gave to each other, and nothing can ever take any of it from us. It may have only happened in our heads, but in a way, it was real to me." He paused to lean forward and press a tender, lingering kiss to her temple.

"Thank you, Caroline Mikaelson, from the bottom of my heart. For granting me this extraordinary honour."

Now a very real tear escaped her eye as he took her hand and kissed it as well. His thumb gently brushed the tiny drop from her cheek. Looking up at him, she gave him a small smile. "Do you know what the real-life first guy said to me? 'Crap, now I'm late for pool. Shoulda ditched foreplay. See ya around.' Maybe this is why I'm getting a little emotional about how lovely it would have been with you."

Klaus looked at her for a very long time with a thoughtful expression. All of a sudden, Caroline saw a wicked gleam enter his eyes, and she raised a hand in protest.

"Oh no, you're not going to kill him, Niklaus! Most definitely not!"

"It is not my intention at all. Ah, I forgot, I promised you – no lies." He chuckled and gave her a wink. "No, I will not kill him. But once you receive notice of his getting married, please do let me know. A little compulsion of his new wife will work absolute wonders for his sex life."

Caroline's eyes widened and she burst into a round of giggles. "You can be so naughty!"

With a loving smile, he gazed down at her. "You have no idea. Would you like me to show you, my beautiful, incredible Mrs. Mikaelson?"

"I thought you'd never ask."


	35. The Eve of Darkness

**Ich weiss, ich weiss, Deutsch hatten wir schon, aber meine Hirnzellen scheinen bei dem Wetter massenweise abzusterben, daher bin ich heute nicht zu sehr viel mehr ****in der Lage ****als ein paar Worten in der Muttersprache . Tausend Dank an alle Leser aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz, und Euch allen einen schönen Sonntag! :)**

**Ana20, Bekki, Marie, Justine, Tricia and the anons - many, many thanks to you, as always! :)**

**And today's very special thanks go to DiabolicalBowlerHat! XXX :)**

**Happy Sunday to everyone, and THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

THE EVE OF DARKNESS

Dusk had fallen when they arrived in New Orleans the following evening. They had left the car on the outskirts of town, in a neighbourhood Klaus knew Marcel did not consider relevant enough to have permanently watched. From there, they raced through the streets at top speed until they reached a dirty, nondescript wall with a tiny iron door in an abandoned back alley not two blocks from their house. Klaus produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the little gate, letting Caroline step through before he followed and locked the door again.

They were in an empty courtyard, surrounded by nothing but walls. A single tree stood in one corner, which was where Klaus directed his steps now. The ground was covered with wild-growing grass that was apparently never trimmed. Caroline was about to ask what in the world they were doing here when he suddenly knelt down and grabbed something. She couldn't believe her eyes when a split second later, he pulled open a trap door and gestured for her to join him, holding a finger to his lips when she wanted to speak. He gave the tip of her nose a quick kiss and pointed into the darkness. Looking into the gaping hole, she could discern a wooden ladder and grabbed the handle, descending into the underground. When she had reached the ground, she looked up to see him follow and close the trap door. The darkness was so absolute that not even vampire eyes could penetrate it. With a shudder, Caroline grabbed her phone, feeling Klaus step up to her, and both of them turned on their flashlight functions.

"What _is_ this?" Caroline whispered as he started to lead the way forward.

"Security net. I have had this tunnel built together with the house, unbeknownst to anyone except my siblings. This is how we escaped Mikael back in the day. The tunnel is adjacent to a subterranean canal so it was no hardship to have it constructed at the same time. It ends in our wine cellar, and we have not used it for ages."

Frowning, she recalled the wine cellar. It had stone floors and there wasn't a single handle, latch or bolt that indicated the presence of a trap door. No one would ever suspect the floor to be anything but solid stone.

"You're actually Ian Fleming, aren't you? I've never met anyone with a spy complex such as yours! Where do you hide your Walther PPK?" she grinned, rolling her eyes and running into him as he suddenly halted and turned around.

"Want to see where I hide it, Miss Moneypenny?" he snickered and wiggled his brows.

Giggling, she gave him a little shove and motioned forward. "Come on, move. I'll be happy to inspect your arsenal again later, after having inspected it… how many times last night? And this morning? Noon? Afternoon?"

"I counted, but I won't tell." He kissed her briefly before walking on. The tunnel wasn't overly long, and they arrived at another ladder about five minutes later. Klaus climbed it and stopped right beneath the ceiling, slipping his hand into an almost indiscernible hollow in the tunnel wall. Caroline heard a subdued click, and an instant later, Klaus pushed open another trap door, flashing upwards and holding out his hand to her. Looking around, she did indeed find herself in their wine cellar. Watching Klaus close the trap, she examined the ground very closely, but she didn't make out any hint at the door. _No one would ever guess. Amazing!_

Pointing at an inconspicuous old wooden candle holder that had seemingly been forgotten on one of the shelves, he explained. "If you want to unlatch the door from this side, you have to press down the candle stick. It is fixed on the shelf and will activate the mechanism once pushed down. However, you will still need to lift the door manually by gripping this particular stone." He touched one of the stones in the middle of the floor. It looked exactly like all the others, but she had memorized it now and nodded.

"Shall we?" he asked and motioned towards the stairs. When she had reached them, she paused and closed her eyes. Once they were upstairs and joined the family, everything would begin to take its course. Their plan, her death, their separation… oh God, she didn't want to go up there! She wanted to grab his hand, escape through the tunnel, run off to the remotest place in the world and live with him unperturbedly until all time ended! With a shaky breath, she began to climb the stairs, suddenly feeling his hand on her arm. She stopped again and leaned backwards into his chest, closing her eyes at how his arms came around her waist and he kissed the nape of her neck.

"I love you," he whispered at her ear. "Deeply. Fiercely. Endlessly." He paused and almost crushed her against him when his powerful arms tightened their hold. "Now summon your strength and your braveness, for you have plenty of both. Elijah once said to me that it is not about not _being_ afraid, but about fighting your fear. The moment it threatens to overwhelm you, remember the day in front of the mirror back in Mystic Falls. Remember how strong you are."

"No," Caroline shook her head, "I will think of the man who faced six hundred years worth of demons and nightmares. The man who sat through excruciating torture without moving. The man who fights his fears like no one else does. The man who loves me for who I am."

As they leaned into each other and gave themselves this little quiet moment of peace, Klaus nodded and rested his cheek against hers. "By the Gods, he does."

When they reached the study, Caroline was surprised to actually see everyone gathered in the large room. As soon as the greeting rounds were done, Klaus handed her a glass of Single Malt and rested his hand on her shoulder when he began to speak.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone for all that you have done over the past weeks. We will now have to take the next steps and proceed with putting down Bonnie and Marcel, as something tells me we are running out of time. Do not ask me why, it is just a gut feeling. However, first things first."

He set down his glass and turned his neck into the light. Caroline saw Elijah's, Kol's and Silv's eyes widen in amazement. The rest of them looked puzzled but not overly interested. So the thing had changed its colour again, what was the big deal? Elijah cleared his throat and took a sip of his Cognac. "I believe you had better explain about the Signum now, brother, for I can sense some confusion in the room."

There was a deafening silence when Klaus was done. Then Damon gave a lopsided grin and shook his head in disbelief. "I need to find new names for you. The whole dictator thing seems so limited to time and space and is not befitting the guy who can end the world with nothing but his blood, wouldn't you agree, Sauron?"

"You had better remember that, mate," Klaus smiled pleasantly. Before they could engage in a round of Waldorf and Statler, Elijah cut in.

"There is something else everyone needs to be aware of, and I am afraid it is not the most pleasant of outlooks. Niklaus?"

Caroline felt his grip on her shoulder tighten before he released her and walked over to the sturdy wooden desk, opening a drawer and pulling out a small knife with an ornate handle. Grabbing a large tumbler from the liquor cabinet, he made a deep cut to his hand and held it over the glass, letting his dark red blood gush into it. _Okay, it's official. You are a freaking pervert, Caroline Mikaelson. The thought of licking his blood off his hand is _not_ hot, are we clear?_

The glass was almost full when he finally pulled back his hand and let the cut heal. "This will have to be kept refrigerated. As I have explained to you all a moment ago, my blood can only destroy the Other Side upon becoming 'Golden Blood', which it has obviously turned into as of today. You are also aware that a Signum disappears when one of the two bearers dies. We will therefore need to keep a very close eye on this particular little glass, as my blood will not be 'golden' for very much longer." He paused and swallowed. Caroline saw the pain in his eyes at what he had to say next. "My wife will die."

Now all eyes were on Caroline who tried to look fearless but was failing miserably. "Wait, what?" Elena exclaimed incredulously. "What the heck are you talking about? Care's most definitely not going to die!"

Putting a hand on Elena's arm and then squeezing her hand, Caroline nodded. "Yes, Lena, I am. It was my decision, and even though I know Klaus is not happy about it, he knows it's the logical thing to do. It will break the spell that binds me to the Pale Blood bearers, and… look, everyone knows that I am the one thing that really, truly gets to him, and that makes me a liability until everything is over."

"Stop saying that," Klaus hissed, glaring at her. She knew he was just hiding his fear and the deep despair that gripped him at the thought of losing her, for however short a period. Giving him a loving smile, she went on.

"We have taken precautions for me to arrive on the Other Side and to not pass on to the Eternal Realm of the Dead. Nothing can happen to me while I am down there, at least not physically. Once the situation with Bonnie and Marcel is resolved, Davina will resuscitate me. As you have all heard, Bonnie has managed to expand the resuscitation spell in order to make it permanent. When I return, I will return forever."

Davina's eyes had widened. "Caroline," she whispered, "I have no idea how to do that spell! It is exclusive to Bonnie, she would never let me in on the composition. And I do not have enough power to perform it!"

"Which is why we have a question to ask of you, darling," Kol said in a calm, collected voice that didn't even sound like him and made Caroline raise an eyebrow in a mixture of amusement and astonishment. "Would you agree to be turned into an Original Witch, Davina? It would give you the power to perform any spell you desire, you would be independent from the distinction between Black and White Magic, and it… would prolong your natural life almost indefinitely. Which I would definitely not mind," he added with a wink that made the witch blush. She got up from her seat and began to pace the study.

"Much as I would love to help with this, I can't take it on my conscience for someone to have to die in order for me to become an Original Witch. Whoever performs the ritual will lose a loved one, and…"

"… and it will be Bonnie herself who will perform the spell on you. Her loved one is Marcel, which means we will kill two birds with one stone, if you excuse the pun," Elijah interjected.

Shaking her head, Davina objected, "What interest could Bonnie have in making anyone an Original Witch? It would mean she turns someone into a witch more powerful than herself, and she really can't want that."

Pulling the forged Original Grimoire from his jacket, Klaus smiled. "Oh, but she will. You see, the fake instructions describe how only an Original Witch can identify the one other method to kill me and my siblings, and it is imperative for her to understand what that method is once the stakes are gone. There are only three of those left as it is, which means one of us would still remain alive, therefore the other method is her only chance to truly end all four of us. And the document speaks of… another criterion the witch has to fulfill. If I am not entirely mistaken, you do qualify."

"What is that prerequisite?" the witch asked, her eyes wide.

"Silv?" Elijah said quietly and looked from his wife to the door and back to her. The brunette nodded and smiled at the younger woman.

"Would you mind coming with me for a moment, Davina? I would like to ask you a very personal question, and I would like to do it in private. We won't be long, but the answer to that question is essential to how we will have to proceed in more than one way."

Caroline could see the confusion in Davina's eyes, but she nodded and rose, following Silv into the hall and up the stairs where the rooms were sound-proofed. It was clear that Silv was going to ask the witch whether she was indeed a virgin, and this was most definitely not something to be discussed in front of everyone. She caught Klaus' eye, and they smiled at each other, remembering.

A couple of minutes later, a very flushed Davina returned at Silv's side. Caroline's heart went out to her, knowing how embarrassing it must be for her that all three of the Mikaelson men knew what she had been asked. But she raised her head now, firmly looking at Klaus, and nodded once. Carefully avoiding Kol's eyes, she returned to sit next to Elena and grabbed her glass, taking a deep sip of her Coke. Caroline smiled at how her youngest brother-in-law's face had gone all soft and gentle as he looked at the witch now. _You will do the right thing eventually, brother, I'm sure._

"Thank you, Davina, and my apologies for having had to ask. This fact is essential for two things, one of them real and one of them fabricated. I will speak more about the real one in a moment, but we will need to discuss Bonnie first. As mentioned earlier, I have forged the Original Grimoire in such a way that it states only an Original Witch who fulfills the prerequisite in question will be able to find what is needed to kill us. Which, apart from the wrongful impression that she will not find it a hardship to control and manipulate you, makes you the perfect candidate for Bonnie. And as she assumes that you do not have any loved ones, she will refrain from asking you to turn her into an Original Witch for the time being because she will believe that it will be you who will die if you perform said spell. And she will want you to stay alive for the time being to make Marcel an Original Vampire after he returns from the Other Side, of course not telling you that you would die in the process. Once Marcel is an Original, he can compel any witch who fulfills the _other_ prerequisite into performing the required spell on Bonnie."

The witch assented. "That sounds reasonable. So you want me to let her manipulate me, then?"

Klaus inclined his head and pursed his lips. "You will have to act as if you were taking her word as gospel. Begin to ask her for personal advice, too, as in, how to suppress the loneliness or whatever topic you can think of. She has to believe that you see her as a mentor in every way. Do not criticize her or openly doubt anything she says. Can you do that?"

"Yes. So if we assume that everything goes as planned and she turns me into an Original Witch once she gets her hands on the Original Grimoire, how will you extract the resuscitation spell from her? It's not like she is going to give it up freely."

With a very vicious grin, Klaus replied, "I have my methods. Now, during the time you spent with her over the last few weeks, have you noticed anything in particular?"

Davina ran a hand through her long, dark hair. "There is something. Her spells are very strong, very solid. But for some reason, they seem to lose some of this immense power the smaller the room is she performs them in. I don't know what that means, I have never seen this before."

"Claustrophobia," Caroline and Klaus said in unison and smiled at each other. "And no, Damon," Klaus snapped before the older Salvatore could even think of speaking, "it is not _Klaus_trophobia with a K, so save your breath."

"I didn't say anything," Damon retorted. "But thanks, Doc Ock. I like it."

With a huff, Klaus returned his attention to the witch. "You missed that part of the conversation back in Fort Lauderdale. It would seem that all Bennett witches are deadly afraid of small spaces, so this is apparently influencing her magic to an extent. Good to know. Never a Brazen Bull at hand when you need one," he snickered in Elijah's direction who couldn't help a grin.

"Okay, I know this is not the time, but Elijah brought that up with Prelati, too – what the hell _is_ a Brazen Bull?" Caroline demanded.

The oldest Mikaelson brother smiled at her. "It is one of the cruelest, or perhaps even the single most cruel torture instrument ever invented, stemming from very ancient times. It is a life-sized bull cast in bronze, hollow, with a flap on one side, just large enough to fit someone through it. So the delinquent was locked inside the bull right before a fire was lit underneath it, slowly roasting the person in question to death. Or until he confessed whatever he was supposed to."

All of the women stared at Elijah in disbelief. Caroline leaned against Klaus who was perching on the armrest of the couch. "Have you ever seen it happen?" she asked softly, looking up at him and seeing him nod.

"I have. It is not the nicest of spectacles." After another moment of silence, he went on. "There will come a moment when we may be able to put this knowledge to use against Bonnie. Now, as for Caroline's… death. It will have to happen soon, before we begin making an open move against any of them. I have given this some thought, even if very reluctantly so, and I have come to the conclusion that you cannot be murdered by anyone. It would atone for your using the services of a Black Witch and would send you directly to the Eternal Realm." He stopped and took both of her hands in his, placing them on his chest and closing his eyes for a second. Then he opened them again and met her gaze firmly.

"You will have to dagger one of us, my darling."

_Oh, right! If a normal vampire daggers an Original with a White Oak powdered knife, we die! How did I forget about that?_

With a light chuckle, Kol pointed at himself. "I volunteer. What's one more time, anyway?" he grinned at Klaus who shook his head determinedly.

"It will be me. If Caroline has to die over this, I prefer to take the dagger myself."

Now Elijah spoke up, also shaking his head. "I beg to disagree, Niklaus. We do not know what impact it might have when one bearer of the Signum commits an act of violence against the other. It has never happened to my knowledge, and now that you have reached the highest echelon of the Signum, there could be an unknown quantity that comes into play. Furthermore, I am quite certain that the last thing Caroline wants to see before… well, I doubt the last thing she wants to see is your desiccating face."

_Thank you, Elijah!_

Clearing his throat, the oldest Mikaelson gestured at Rebekah and Kol. "None of us would have an issue with this. Caroline, would you like to make the choice, or shall we decide?"

"No need," Kol interjected before she could so much as say a word, "I will do it. But please be gentle, sister. I've been hurt before," he added, clutching at his heart and making a puppy dog face. Caroline's eyes softened. She knew why he was doing this. It was for his brother. Looking at Klaus with a gentle smile, she saw him press his lips together and give Kol a nod. Inwardly shaking her head at how he couldn't bring himself to just thank his younger sibling, she gazed back at Kol.

"Thank you, brother." He winked at her and sauntered over to the array of crystal carafes, pouring himself another drink. For a moment, Caroline wondered if he was really this nonchalant about being daggered, but then she realized that he actually was. It had happened to him a gazillion times, the pain lasted for a couple of seconds and he would just fall asleep. It really wasn't that big a deal for him.

Klaus cleared his throat. "Tomorrow, then, as we will require tonight to get hold of the stakes. Silv, Damon, have you found out anything about the secret vault?"

Both of them shook their heads. "We've been invited to some sort of party at his place later tonight, but the house will be full of his people, so I doubt he will be in a mood to spill the beans," Damon answered, sour-faced at the prospect of yet another party with the would-be king of New Orleans.

"Find a way, Damon. We need to get rid of the bloody things. I cannot go with you as I must not be seen tonight. Elijah will be standing by to wage a Blitzkrieg on the stakes as soon as he knows where they are. Remember they are invisible, brother."

"You should hit on him," Silv grinned, winking at Damon. "He looks at you with almost the same goo-goo eyes he uses on me."

Damon's eyes narrowed as he pondered Silv's words. Then his face lit up and he folded his arms across his chest as he cast her a challenging glance. "Threesome?"

The brunette's musical laughter resounded from the walls. "Threesome it is. Who makes the first move, you or me?"

"You," Damon said, "he hasn't hit on me yet. I will be cherry on the cake."

"Oh please," Silv scoffed, but there was humour in her eyes.

Caroline had been looking back and forth between the two, just like Elena, and she couldn't make any sense of what they were saying. She was quite sure they didn't mean 'threesome' in the literal sense of the word, but she had no idea what they were talking about.

"Ahm… would you mind…?" she asked her sister-in-law. Silv smiled warmly at both her and Elena.

"No worries, ladies, it is not what you think. But it is what Marcel will think. Divide and conquer, so to speak. I will be arriving at the party, being just a tad more receptive to Marcel's advances than usual. Which means I will reduce my snapping at him to about once every two minutes." She grinned mischievously. "He will immediately notice the difference and think that tonight's the night. Then I will drop a hint at how Elijah can be _so quiet_ and so _boring _at times, or some other issue I can make up, which he will take as another hint. After a while, I will excuse myself to the bathroom or to get some air, which is the precise moment Damon will take over, making some sordid remark about whatever part of my body and insinuating that I did have quite the reputation in my time. After a little bit of digging from Marcel, he will complain about Elena getting closer to Remy or something of the sort, and how he is starting to feel a little lonely."

With a grin, Damon nodded. "Then the roles will be reversed. I will leave to dance or drink or whatever, and in that very second, Silv will return to Marcel and continue to almost flirt for a while, making some comment on _my _ reputation as a very… ah… _flexible_ guy. This whole spiel will be repeated another couple of times. One of us engages Marcel, the other goes searching for the vault. Everyone will see that he is very interested in both of us, so we will have a little more freedom in moving around than a normal partygoer, as thanks to Kol's compulsion, no one will want to risk his wrath by upsetting us in any way. Still, we will need to be cautious."

"Once either of us has found the thing and alerted Elijah, I will give Marcel another little hint at how I would… if only I was free… which, incidentally, might lead him to say something about how I will be soon. With a last deep look into his eyes, I am going to excuse myself and flee from the temptation," Silv explained with a snicker.

Damon wiggled his brows. "The moment you are out of the door, I will grab Marcel and make him sing karaoke, do shots or whatever. After another hour or two, he will no longer be suspicious of my leaving. If he is anyway, I'll have to stay on, but I hope that by then, he will be too wasted to notice."

Everyone was staring at Silv and Damon who were quite obviously enjoying themselves immensely, watching all the nonplussed faces in the room. Suddenly, Klaus gave a spontaneous laugh.

"I shall be sorry to miss the performance, Thelma and Louise."

Still gaping at the two of them incredulously, Caroline muttered, "Why do I have the feeling that you have either worked at the same intelligence agency or you were separated at birth?"

"Oh please, sister," Elijah chuckled, mock consternation on his face, "the thought of my wife being Mr. Salvatore's long-lost twin is enough to seriously consider divorce." He gave Silv a mischievous smile, and for a moment, the two of them seemed to be forgetting the world around them. With a smile, Caroline turned to Damon who answered.

"Well, Blondie, this is a technique very commonly used when trying to distract someone or play a little trick on him or her. It is usually more effective when the, ah, victim does not know the other two are acquainted, but we can't be too choosy. And it would seem that Mrs. Mikaelson here is no stranger to the ways of the world." He winked at Silv, and Caroline couldn't help but think that there _was _something sibling-like between the two.

At that moment, Davina's phone buzzed. Pulling it out of her pocket, she cast a quick look at the text. "Bonnie. She wants me to come over later tonight." Klaus nodded and looked at his sister.

"Bekah, will you follow her?"

"Of course."

Klaus looked at Davina. "Something tells me it is better not to use the front door. Sister, take her through the tunnel. Same for Damon and Elena later on. Stefan, you will stay, I reckon?"

The younger Salvatore nodded. "Tyler and Hayley have spoken to the packs. They will not interfere. The larger gathering in Plaquemine is actually considering coming to our aide should we require any and should it happen to be full moon. However, all of the wolves are asking to be allowed free access to the city once Marcel and his troops are defeated. They have been prohibited from setting foot inside the city limits ever since Marcel has risen to power, and this is their condition for holding the peace."

Then something happened that made Caroline almost drop her glass. Klaus gestured towards his younger brother and said, "It is Kol's decision. He will run this town."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Elijah smile at Klaus with what looked like pride. It was such an extraordinary moment, such an incredible step for Klaus that she actually felt the butterflies hop up and down inside her stomach. Her husband looked at his younger sibling evenly, waiting for him to decide.

Clearing his throat and trying to shake off his complete bewilderment, Kol turned his gaze to Stefan and nodded. "All right. They will have access and can settle. However, if I am informed of but one incident involving a werewolf attack on vampires, witches or humans, they will return to the swamps. All of them."

"Got it," Stefan said and pulled his phone from his pocket, apparently sending a text to Tyler. Caroline noticed Kol inconspicuously eyeing Klaus. The older Original gave an imperceptible nod, and Kol's entire face relaxed. _Jesus, I'm not going to cry over brother bonding! No way!_

"Now, Elijah, if by any chance you should find that ominous name list in the vault, do take a picture of it. Kol, whoever is on that list belongs to the group of Marcel's most loyal followers. They will want to avenge his eventual death, and they will be a continuous source of unrest. Once you are undaggered after Caroline's death tomorrow, you will go ahead and kill them one by one. Silently, inconspicuously. It should not be too great a number, I would not reckon more than five to ten. Do not kill them all at once but take your time. I want Marcel to know that something is coming, and I want him to feel more and more isolated. It will also lead Bonnie to work in a greater hurry and maybe make mistakes. Remember that you must still not be seen, Kol. They will want to use you as leverage to extort the Original Grimoire from me, and I will give it to them in due course."

Klaus looked around the room. "All right, everyone. You all know what to do. Elena, would you please go to Remy's and tell him that Elijah wants to speak with him tonight, here at the house. Do not let him know I am back." Elena nodded. "All of you who do not officially live in this house at the moment, you will use the tunnel over the coming days. Kol will show you how it works." He rose and walked over to the book shelves, pulling out a number of thick, very ancient volumes and dropping them on the desk. "Caroline, Stefan, Kol – I want some research done on the Other Side. I have read all of these at some point in time, but I might have overlooked or forgot something. Whatever you deem of relevance, you will point out. I want Caroline to be as prepared as superhumanly possible."

* * *

Half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Klaus looked at Stefan who nodded and went to answer it.

"Remy. Come in."

"Elijah asked me to meet him here."

"Follow me."

The Spaniard stopped dead when he entered the study, staring incredulously at Klaus, Kol and Caroline who were all supposed to be missing.

"Klaus," he muttered, obviously not quite trusting his eyes, "you're back."

"A very keen observation," Klaus retorted. He looked at Remy probingly for a minute before he gestured to the liquor cabinet. "Drink?" The bartender nodded silently and let his gaze wander to Caroline and Kol.

Giving him a light smile, Caroline pointed to the armchair. "It's good to see you, Remy. Have a seat." He nodded and smiled back at her, although he was very obviously trying not to show too much enthusiasm at seeing her. Klaus handed him a glass of Single Malt and sat next to Caroline, putting an arm around her shoulders. She had to suppress a chuckle at his very ostentatious display of possessiveness, but his warmth was just too tempting not to snuggle into his arm. It was clear that Remy saw it, and neither Klaus nor Caroline were at a loss to notice the little gleam of wistfulness in his eyes.

"I am glad you are back unharmed," the Spaniard nodded towards Caroline. "You were a little out of it that day."

She flinched for a second at the memory, but the she gave him another smile. "I was, and not merely a little. Thank you for helping me, for calling Elijah and letting him know."

He took a sip of his Scotch and eyed the two of them closely. "May I ask what happened?" he inquired carefully, his gaze on Klaus now.

"No, you may not," the Original said icily. "Not yet. Remy, you know I have always liked you, which is why I have turned you in the first place, and which is why I have never made you choose sides. Up to a point, I have to admit that I even appreciate how steadfastly you have adhered to your neutrality over the centuries, which was not always an easy task." He paused and pulled Caroline a little closer, which she knew was not for Remy's benefit this time but for his own. "I am therefore sorry to inform you that this time, you will be required to make a choice, and you will have to do so now. Marcel and Bonnie Bennett are planning to kill me and my siblings, thus establishing a new world order. In English, the entire worldwide vampire population is going to perish, with a few exceptions Marcel has magnanimously agreed to save. And before you ask, Miss Bennett has found a way to permanently revive him after he dies following my own demise."

Remy stared at Klaus, then he nodded. "I knew something was going on, but that was quite honestly not what I expected. Why haven't you killed them yet?"

"Suffice it to say that I have my reasons which I may or may not choose to divulge to you."

Caroline had to admire Remy's poker face. There was not even the hint of a clue as to what was going on inside him. She supposed it was not an easy decision. He had been neutral for centuries, although she suspected there had always been the slightest inclination towards Klaus and his family, judging by the way he had warned them about Marcel the day they had first arrived in New Orleans. Which was why he probably knew that Klaus was absolutely serious this time. What she could also understand was his desire to be left out of any disagreements and be allowed to simply mind his own business. Sometimes, though, she had indeed wondered what he did with all the information he accidentally and purposefully overheard in his bar. Maybe he was one of those who just wanted to be in the know without any intention of ever making use of their knowledge. She couldn't imagine that he sold information. But wasn't he about to burst from all the untold secrets at times?

"What happens if I choose the other party?" he asked, leaning forward and gazing at Klaus intently. "May I assume you are going to kill me?"

"No," Klaus replied, his voice still cold, "but what you may indeed assume is that I will be locking you up until we have accomplished what we have planned, and then force you to leave town and not return. You will have to build a new existence elsewhere and never set foot across the city limits again."

Remy nodded. "And if I choose you?"

"Once everything is over, I will leave town and my brother will take charge." He gestured towards Kol who had never taken his eyes off Remy since the Spaniard had first set foot in the study. "He will give you his word, as will both Elijah and I, that your life and your bar or whatever other business you choose to run in the future will be under our eternal protection. We will never interfere with your affairs, just as we have never done in the past, and you will always be able to count on all of us for help should you require it."

With a very thoughtful expression, Remy took a swig of his drink and fell silent for a long while. Both Klaus and Kol did not speak, either. Caroline felt Klaus' fingers gently stroke her arm and she closed her eyes for a moment, just enjoying his scent and his proximity.

The silence stretched on, but neither of the three seemed to be overly uncomfortable with it, making Caroline wonder whether this was some sort of wordless negotiation. After what seemed a small eternity, Remy cleared his throat. "What is it you need from me, Klaus?"

"Have you chosen?"

"Do you expect a public declaration?"

Shaking his head, Klaus fixed Remy with a piercing stare. "No. But I expect you to tell me – us – your decision. We go way back, Remy, and I believe we are entitled to a straight answer." There was another silence, and then Klaus sighed. "You have information I require very urgently. Information… _Caroline_ requires."

_What, I am the ace up your sleeve, Big Bad? Oh, please. He will never yield to…_

"Very well. You know I do not like this, Klaus, but if I am forced to choose between you and the Marcel-Bennett duo infernale, my choice is clear. I pledge my loyalty to you, you have my word. I expect all of you to keep yours once this is over, and let me return to my business without any meddling."

Klaus stood and walked over to Remy who rose from his chair as well. The Original held out his hand, and Remy shook it without hesitation. "Thank you, my friend. I appreciate this more than you know," Klaus nodded. "And I give you my word that you will always be under our protection and will not have to fear any interference in your business. Kol?"

The younger Mikaelson inclined his head and also shook hands with the Spaniard. "You have my word as well."

"Elijah has stepped out, but he will seek you out at the bar at his earliest opportunity."

Caroline saw Remy's eyes on her for a fleeting moment, and she seriously wondered if he had agreed to his because of her. Then she shooed the thought away– Remy was a businessman, and he had made a business decision. Kol refilled their glasses, and Remy leaned back into his armchair.

"Now, what kind of information do you require, Klaus?" he demanded, curiosity in his voice. He seemed much more relaxed, even his features appeared to have softened, making Caroline wonder whether sometimes neutrality was much harder to bear that a clear choice of sides. Inwardly shaking her head at how a weight had apparently been lifted from Remy's shoulders, she sighed with delight when Klaus joined her on the couch, immediately pulling her close and pressing a light kiss to her temple.

"I need you to tell us everything you have ever heard about the Other Side. No matter how absurd, no matter whether it was mere rumours, jokes, speculations or whatever else. We have to know, Remy. There will be a few other things I shall be needing from you going forward, but tonight, this is the first and foremost priority. And this I am not asking for myself." He looked down at her, and she could see the anxiety in his deep-sea eyes. "This, Remy, I am asking for Caroline."

Perplexed, the Spaniard looked back and forth between the two of them, then at Kol and finally back at Klaus. "What is going on, Klaus?"

"Caroline will have to die. And she will have to transition to the Other Side and stay there until everything is over and she can no longer be harmed or used as a means to get to me. As the Bennett witch has found a way to make the resuscitation spell permanent, we will bring Caroline back as soon as it is safe for her."

"You are going to let her go _there?_ Good grief, Klaus, the Other Side is no picknick!" Remy exclaimed.

She leaned forward and looked at the older vampire intently. "Which is why I need your help, Remy. I have to know what to expect. I mean, I have a vague idea, but everything, any little piece of information will make it easier for me. God knows I don't want to do this, but Klaus has to concentrate all his energy and all his focus on doing what needs to be done. There are a few things you don't yet know, and Klaus and Kol will tell you now."

Her husband and her brother-in-law turned to look at her. She nodded determinedly. "Tell him." Her eyes wandered back to Remy's and held their gaze for a long moment, at the same time squeezing Klaus' hand reassuringly. "We can trust Remy. And he should be able to trust us."


	36. Threesome

**Oh well... it's Sunday after all... and as I hope you will all have enough time to read today, here comes the next chapter. ;)  
**

**Please enjoy.**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

THREESOME

Stealth. It had always been an essential part of who he was, and he prided himself in no one noticing him unless he wanted them to. Klaus was the single exception, as his younger brother was the only other person he knew to be as focused and observant as he was himself. With a light smile, he remembered the times when they had first discovered how to run or walk in such a way that not even other vampires' keen hearing was able to discern their steps. It had taken them both a while to perfect the movements, but after so many centuries of practice, they actually _were _perfect. Light, silent, smooth.

Elijah had made his way into the attic of Marcel's house via an obliging tree, the roof and a skylight that had turned out to be insultingly easy to open. He had shaken his head at the very obvious confidence the younger vampire was displaying by not having anyone standing guard on either the roof or the upper balconies, let alone the surrounding buildings.

He settled in a shadowy corner of the large, crammed space that had apparently not seen any living presence for years, judging by the thick layer of dust on boxes, ancient furniture and everything else that was piled up. Elijah had been careful to cover up what few footprints he had left in the dust, and he was now hovering unmovingly right next to the trap door that led down into the house. The party had already begun, and both Silv and Damon would be arriving soon. Before they had left, Elijah had instructed them not to send him any texts once they had found the vault. Despite the noisy celebrations, he knew he would be able to distinguish their voices and to locate them wherever they were within the mansion. So they had agreed that the one who found the hidden vault would just utter one sentence, namely 'Whatever happened to the good old soirée?' It had to be more than one word so as to give Elijah the time to determine the exact location of the voice, and it needed to be inconspicuous enough for anyone who happened to overhear not to believe it to be anything but a muttered complaint about the boisterousness of the party.

With a subdued sigh, Elijah thought back to the times his brother had first introduced him to Marcel, a few months after he had saved the young man's life and turned him into a vampire. To this day, Elijah could not fathom how Klaus' usually unfailingly accurate perception of human nature had so completely left him for once. It had not been often that Elijah had disliked someone at first sight the way he had instantly loathed Marcel. The lad had had an arrogance and a cockiness about him he had found abhorrent, but that had not been the main reason for his aversion. It had been the utter lack of compassion, the deeply anchored indifference and coldness in his gaze. Over the years, Elijah had encountered a few people with that kind of hidden emptiness in their eyes, and they had all had some traits in common – a tendency towards aimless cruelty, a duplicitous mind, no sense of loyalty whatsoever and a blatant disregard for anyone but themselves. He had implored his brother to see reason, but after a few failed attempts, he had understood that Klaus had needed to find out on his own. He was not ready to give up on his 'project', and for reasons passing understanding, Marcel's company seemed to alleviate the younger Mikaelson's loneliness for short periods of time. When he finally had to face the bitter truth about Marcel's disposition, the hurt and raging disappointment in his eyes had touched Elijah deeply, particularly in view of the fact that this new betrayal had further hardened Klaus' heart and made him more suspicious than ever, even towards his own siblings, which had greatly pained Elijah. The thought of seeing Marcel pay brought a malicious, satisfied grin onto his face.

* * *

Silv sighed and closed her eyes for a second before pushing open the door to Marcel's house. The rambunctious party noises that hit her like a brick wall made her wish to turn on her heel and escape to the serenity of their home and the comfort of Elijah's arms. She knew her husband was somewhere inside the house, although it still eluded her how he always managed to move like a ghost whenever he did not want to be seen. He had explained the workings of stealth to her, just as Klaus had to Caroline, but neither of the women would ever be able to move the way the older Mikaelson brothers did. Not even Kol and Bekah ever truly managed, she thought with a light grin. In order to minimize any risks, they had determined that Elijah would not partake in the actual search for the vault. There was, after all, a theoretical possibility for someone to notice him, and he would therefore only enter the house once the safe was found and be in and out as quickly as possible. With another sigh, Silv focused. There was work to do now, and she had to give a truly convincing performance. Had it not been about something as vital as getting hold of the stakes, she might probably even have enjoyed the show up to a point, as working with Damon was a little bit like concocting a prank with a mischievous cousin. The older Salvatore would arrive in a while so as to give her time for what he had called the warm-up round. And it would seem the protagonist was not going to make her wait tonight.

"Mrs. Mikaelson, it is an honour that you should finally accept my invitation to grace my humble home with your splendour," a resonant contralto greeted her cheerfully, and in a blur, Marcel was in front of her, raising her hand to his lips. "On my word, you are the single most stunning woman I have seen in my three hundred years, and even more so tonight." Trying not to roll her eyes, Silv inclined her head.

"You can be very persistent," she said coolly, pulling away her hand and raising a brow. "I will have to give you that."

With a grin, the older vampire gestured towards a large, crowded room from where music, dozens of voices and heaps of laughter came drifting through the air. "When there is a prize this desirable to attain, I am known to be quite perseverant."

Wondering what the vampire equivalent to throwing up was, Silv folded her arms across her chest. "You may rest assured that I can be just as persistent in rejecting your advances. And I do not take overly kindly to being considered a _prize._ I have only consented to be here tonight to put an end to your endless, tedious attempts at seducing me. And because… but that is none of your business. I do hope you will offer me a drink, though, otherwise I am not certain just how I will be able to tolerate your company for an entire evening's length."

She had seen how Marcel's eyes had begun to sparkle at her deliberate hesitation before insinuating that there was another reason for her being here which was none of his business. God, the man was so predictable!

Fifteen minutes later, they were standing next to each other at the makeshift bar Marcel had set up in his living room. There were dozens and dozens of people around them, and yet the would-be king hadn't looked at or spoken to anyone but her. Trying to hide a satisfied grin at the progress, she suddenly heard Damon's voice at the entrance, greeting some of the partygoers he obviously knew from previous encounters. Downing the rest of her champagne, she suppressed a sigh of relief. Marcel had been moving ever closer, trying to be inconspicuous about it, and they were no more than a few inches apart. The perfect excuse.

"You know, Marcel," she said coolly, "I have no idea what sort of female you are usually dealing with, but I do find your overly conspicuous attempts at crowding me rather clumsy, and I believe I could use some air. Why do you not take a break from your pubescent flirting and find a more… elegant approach?"

Without another word, she whirled around and directed her steps towards the patio, briefly nodding at Damon who was just walking past her to greet Marcel. When she arrived at the courtyard, she heard the older Salvatore mutter, "Crashed and burned, did you? Then again, to be perfectly honest I'm surprised that she's playing that hard to get, dude, given her reputation and her… current domestic situation."

There was an unmistakeable excitement in Marcel's voice. "It's good to see you, man. What do you mean, reputation? And what's going on between her and Elijah?"

"Get me a drink and let's step out on the balcony. Too many prying ears, dude."

Silv shook her head, grinning. Knowing Damon, he would cook up a ludicrous tale about her dubious past with uncountable men and some outlandish drama that was currently happening between her and her husband. But she could no longer listen as she needed to concentrate on finding the vault now. Klaus had given them a detailed description of the house's layout, and she and Damon had divided the rooms between them in order not to waste any time searching the same places twice. If the vault happened to be in the living room, they would have to actually wait until the party was over, but Klaus had been relatively certain that Marcel wouldn't have chosen a room everyone had access to. Very quickly, she entered the first room, some sort of office, and went to work.

Twenty minutes later, she had searched three rooms but had come up empty, and it was time to return to Marcel before he became suspicious at her prolongued absence. He was still on the balcony with Damon, and Silv grabbed a glass of red wine before stepping out to join them. When Damon felt her approach, he grinned and winked at Marcel.

"I think I'm going to get another drink and join the Karaoke troops for a while. Remember what I told you, buddy. Silv," he nodded curtly as he stepped back inside.

Marcel's eyes followed the older Salvatore, and Silv shook her head in mock consternation. "Still can't wrap my head around it," she mumbled, as if speaking to herself.

"Around what, my dear Mrs. Mikaelson?" the older vampire asked in his most velvety voice, raising his glass to hers and looking at her lips rather hungrily.

"Oh, nothing," she hurried to say, "I learned something about Mr. Salvatore the other day that had me somewhat surprised, that is all."

After tiptoeing around the subject for a while, she allowed Marcel to extract the information from her, fabricating a story about how Damon's tastes were apparently not limited to the opposite sex and how it had nonplussed her, given his attachment to Elena, and that she was rather certain the doppelganger did not have an inkling about it. She could see the hungry gleam in Marcel's eyes again, and she knew she had been right. The older vampire _did _fancy Damon, and not only as a drinking buddy. It was a crying shame that she wouldn't be able to watch the older Salvatore's next round of _flirting._

"Well, tell me, Mrs. Mikaelson," Marcel whispered now, giving his voice an extra-silky touch that made Silv suppress a disgusted shudder, "what are _your_ tastes, then? You strike me as an exceptionally passionate woman with a variety of preferences, and I would imagine that not every man is… able to cater to your needs."

There was the strange pull again. Klaus and Caroline had described what Esther had been explaining about Marcel's enhanced charisma that was especially attractive to witches. For a split second, she wondered whether it would work on her if she wasn't so absolutely and irrevocably in love with Elijah. Then again, Esther had said that there had to be a natural attraction in the first place, and there was nothing about Marcel that she found even remotely alluring. He was not overly intelligent, despite a certain shrewdness, not well-educated, his sense of humour did not match hers, he was arrogant, loud and she did not find him physically enticing. Inwardly straightening, Silv called herself to order. She needed to suppress her growing longing for Elijah's company and concentrate on her task. Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of Damon at the bar who was imperceptibly shaking his head. He hadn't found the vault, and it was her turn again. Her eyes narrowed when she looked at Marcel, putting down her glass and taking one step towards him.

"Give me one reason, just _one _good reason why I should not leave your house right this instant after this outrageously impertinent, prying question," she hissed, putting one finger on Marcel's chest and pushing him back an inch. It had apparently been the right move, as the older vampire grabbed her hand and pressed it flat against his chest, his eyes sparkling.

"Because deep down, you _know _that I can give you what you need. What you want. What you _desire. _And you know that there is a part of you that craves my touch, Silv." His voice lowered even further. "One day, you will admit the truth to yourself. And I will be right there."

Rigidly fighting the impulse to slap him in the face, she raised her head and straightened to her full height. "It is Mrs, Mikaelson," she snapped, but at the same time, she leaned in and very briefly pressed her hand against his chest before pulling away. It always worked with this kind of man – rejecting them on the outside but making them believe that one was secretly burning for them. "If you will excuse me, I would like to freshen up."

She saw the brief instant of triumph flaring up in his eyes. He had bought it. He honestly thought she was just about to give in. Stepping back into the crowded room, she hissed at Damon so Marcel could hear. "Do teach him some manners – not that you have any yourself." With that, she stalked off, her head high and her posture rigid. Once she was out of sight, she flashed back into the patio and from there, up to the first floor where Marcel's bedroom was located. When she was just about to open the door, she heard voices down in the patio and quickly disappeared towards the shadows of the upstairs hallway, carefully watching the two vampires that had strolled into the courtyard. Without another word, they began to kiss heatedly, and Silv had to suppress an exasperated groan. God, she hoped this wouldn't take too long! She waited and waited, cursing the lovebirds downstairs and the fact that she couldn't stay away for very much longer without Marcel becoming suspicious. Although she might have bought herself some time with her last performance, making the older vampire believe she would need a while for her inner turmoil to settle.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the couple gradually stopped kissing and left the patio hand in hand. Without wasting another second, Silv opened the door and slipped into Marcel's bedroom. Her eyes widened, and she had to press a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Right in the middle of the large room, a gigantic round bed took up a great amount of space, with two steps leading up to it. Everything in the room was black and red – the walls, the carpet, the furniture, the drapes. The atmosphere was extremely somber, and Silv felt oddly reminded of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There even was a leopard bedcover, and the entire ceiling was covered in mirrors. Desperately trying not to burst into laughter at the thought of Marcel wearing Frank'n'Furter's corset and garter belt, let alone his makeup, she began to meticulously search the place, idly wondering who in his or her right mind could ever get remotely aroused in an atmosphere like this.

Remembering something Klaus had said about how the vault was probably not overly ingeniously hidden, her gaze zeroed in on a small art print on the opposite wall, depicting William Blake's 'The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun'. For a moment, she could do nothing but shake her head. Just how much more cliché would this man get? Blake's painting was one of the most obvious representations of megalomaniac fantasies ever created, used in popular culture on a regular basis. A man who saw himself like the Great Red Dragon in that painting must be severely humiliated by the fact that there were more powerful beings in existence who could subdue him at their leisure. She had to suppress another giggle at the vision of Marcel working with Photoshop, replacing the Dragon's head with his own and that of the woman with Klaus'. As she sobered, her eyes began to narrow. Of course! This was where the would-be omnipotent world leader would be hiding what was most valuable to him. Taking a couple of steps forward, she gently lifted the painting an inch and peered behind it.

Bingo.

Silv replaced the painting. There was no time to lose. "Whatever happened to the good old soirée?" she said, clearing her throat a couple of times so as to give Elijah additional direction. She was beyond relieved at the thought that she would be able to leave now, and her hand was already on the doorhandle when she heard steps outside. It couldn't be her husband, he would never be this conspicuous. The steps were approaching now, and Silv took retreated into the room right before the door opened and she recognized the scent.

It was Marcel.

Thinking quickly, she realized there was no place to hide. She flew across the room and onto the enormous bed, flinging herself on the ridiculous leopard covers and putting on an insecure expression. And not a minute too early.

A victorious grin split Marcel's face when he spotted her on his bed. Hovering in the doorframe for a moment, his eyes all but undressed her before he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"As I said," he purred, approaching the bed and licking his lips, "somewhere deep down, you know that I am the one who can give you what you need. But I am delighted to see that it did not take you long to realize that fact."

Quickly rising from the bed before he could even think about joining her there, she stepped up to him and placed both hands on his chest. "Maybe so," she whispered, giving her voice a tremor of uncertainty, "but I can never act on it, Marcel. I came here to find out what it is that… pulls me to you." She let her hands run up to his shoulders, taking another step and bringing her lips to his ear, her voice silky and seductive. "Yes… I want it. Very much so. But you know who I am married to, and neither of us would survive this. Elijah always finds out. I will never be free." Clenching her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut, she forced herself to ignore how his hands were wandering over her body. A deep repulsion gripped her at feeling his fingers on her back, her waist, her backside… the outside of her breasts. Summoning up all of her acting skills, she smiled and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, desperately fighting the impulse to furiously wipe her lips. "I have to leave. Please, Marcel, do not pursue me any longer. It would be my death. And yours."

When she had almost reached the door, he spoke again. "I _will _have you. Mark my words, Silv. And not even Elijah Mikaelson will keep me from getting what I want. Especially now that I know that it is what _you _want."

She did not turn around, but as she opened the door, she whispered in mock despair, "If only there was a way."

* * *

Seeing his wife flash off, Elijah conjured all of his willpower to keep him from storming into the room and simply hack off Marcel's hands before castrating him and tearing his heart out. That disgusting piece of filth had had the audacity of touching his wife. And oh, he would pay for it, but not now. Controlling his inner turmoil, he returned his attention to the room beneath him. He was hovering on the patio roof, right opposite Marcel's door and window towards the courtyard, and now all he needed to do was wait for the man to leave. Which would probably not be long, given the fact that there was a celebration going on after all.

A few minutes later, Marcel did indeed leave his room and returned to the party, not without making Elijah want to strangle him at the sight of the smug, overconfident smirk on his face. Shaking his head at himself, the Original waited for another minute before silently descending from the roof and ghosting into the room. Making a slow, three hundred and sixty degree turn, he stopped at the sight of a Blake painting on the far wall. The Great Red Dragon? What was it about that painting that made it so prominent among serial killers, vainglorious cretins and men with a Napoleon complex? Anyway, this had to be it. In a blur, he had removed the painting and sighed with relief at the sight of the relatively old-fashioned safe that was in front of him now. Roller system, very good. He supposed it had been there for many decades and Marcel had never bothered to replace it with a new one. After all, who would dare to steal from the king? There was a small array of tools in his jacket to cater for every contingency, but this would be relatively simple indeed. His Original hearing would replace the stethoscope a human burglar would require to pick the lock, so all he needed were his fingerss. Gently placing one hand on the smooth metal surface, he closed his eyes and began to turn the lock. Ten degrees to the right… twenty… twenty-five… there it was. He heard and felt it at the same time. First click. He repeated the procedure, turning the button to the left, back to the right and to the left again. Just a four-digit number? Well, Marcel's brain could probably not accommodate more than four digits in a row, he thought sardonically. Raising his eyebrows, he let the last click fall into place and quietly opened the safe. There was nothing inside but a sheet of paper, which he supposed was the infamous God-Gifted list. Putting on a pair of gloves that had been spelled by Davina to become impenetrable by any traces of magic, he pulled out his phone and took a quick picture of the list. The names on it did not play a major role, they were pawns, but he was mildly curious to see whom Marcel deemed worthy of being part of the new world order and after all, Kol would need to know. He stowed the phone away and carefully slipped a hand inside the vault. There. He felt the stakes. One, two, three. With a light grin, he pulled them from the box and hid them inside his jacket. At the same time, he took something else from another pocket and placed it inside the safe. It had been Klaus' idea to have Davina spell three regular stakes in such a way that anyone who looked at them would believe them to be nothing other than true White Oak. They had also been invisibilized, and neither Marcel nor Bonnie would ever be able to spot the difference. Not that they would have any reason to believe the vault had been tampered with in the first place. The second he had positioned the three fake stakes exactly where the White Oak had been, he shut and locked the vault. Replacing the painting, he took one last look about the room and disappeared as silently as he had come.

* * *

It had taken Elijah mere minutes to burn the stakes and collect the ashes in a small box he had brought specifically for that purpose. Once he was done, he took a wide detour in order not to arrive home too shortly after Silv. Both he and his brothers knew that their house was being constantly watched, which was why all pretenses had to be kept up until the door was safely shut behind them.

He found Klaus, Caroline, Kol and Stefan in the study. Rebekah was shadowing Davina who was on her way home from Bonnie's, Damon was still at the party and Elena was waiting for him at Remy's. With a brief nod at Klaus, he handed him the box containing the White Oak ash.

"It is done. We can… proceed." Seeing both Klaus' and Caroline's eyes fill with dread, he felt a strong rush of compassion for what they would have to go through. Again. And once more, it was his young sister who would be on her own and his brother who would be able to count on family and friends. The world was a strange place, at times.

Klaus gestured towards the hall, apparently reading his brother's upcoming question. "She has gone straight upstairs, Elijah." They looked at each other for a moment before Elijah inclined his head.

"I will see you tomorrow. Or rather, later today. Good night, everyone."

A few seconds later, he opened the door to their room to find Silv in an armchair in front of the fireplace. Her hair was wet and she was wearing a robe. Elijah's heart skipped an imaginary beat. She looked so young, so vulnerable… and by the Gods, he would be damned if he ever allowed her near that vermin again.

"Are you all right, my lovely?" he asked, a little worried at her silence. Whenever he entered the room, she usually all but flew into his arms.

Her voice sounded wary when she nodded. "Yes, I am fine."

Elijah felt a lump in his throat, Something was wrong, but he could not pinpoint what it was that bothered her. He took her hand and pulled her out of the armchair, taking her face in his hands and examining her closely. All of a sudden, a quick burst of fear grabbed him.

"Silv. When you were there, in his room… did you… feel something?"

After another moment of heavy silence, she nodded. And the quick burst of fear turned into a bright, burning fire. He looked at his wife's face, the face he had come to love above everything else, and he knew that there was one thing he would never be able to overcome. Losing her again. With what was left of his self-control, he whispered, "What was it?"

Biting her lip, she raised her head and closed her eyes for a second before she answered. "Shame. I was ashamed."

"Why?"

"I let him touch me. I let this _bastard _put his hands on me! The day we were married, Elijah, I swore to you that no one else would ever touch me again until my very last breath. I am aware that tonight was but a performance for the greater good, and yet I cannot help but feel that I have betrayed you," she whispered, her face a mask of anguish and guilt, her eyes full of fear.

The relief that washed through him was so consuming that it almost knocked him off his feet. He scooped her up into his arms and flashed them to the bed, leaning against the headboard and gathering her as close as he could. "Of course you have not betrayed me, Silv, not in the very least, and what is truly unforgivable about this is that I allowed it to happen, my lovely, when I should have just smashed his skull, plan or no plan." His lips found hers and he gave himself over to the incomparable feeling of abandon only Silv had ever been able to invoke in him. Just before they completely lost themselves in each other, he spoke again.

"You will never go near him again, Silv, and I do not care what Niklaus' plans are."

Silv brushed her knuckles across his cheek, making him close his eyes and block out everything but her loving touch on his skin.

"Have I told you yet today just how madly I love you, Elijah Mikaelson?

He was silent for an instant, covering her hand with his and opening his eyes to look at her intently. "When all this is finally over, would you consent to…"

"… bearing your mark for all eternity?" she finished his sentence, her eyes lighting up with exuberance and joy.

Elijah stared at her, nonplussed. "How did you know?" he demanded with a slowly spreading smile.

A small tear ran down Silv's cheek. "I have been waiting so long for you to ask me, Elijah. Ever since you turned me. Some hidden part of me was still having doubts whether you would really want me like that, so absolutely, so irreversibly, so… _eternally_."

With an incredulous shake of his head, he kissed her again until they were both dizzy. "How could you ever have doubted my feelings for so much as a second, my beautiful woman? I do apologize from the bottom of my heart, Silv, for it was not my intent to make you anxious or to be a cause for insecurity. There is no need for that, my lovely. There never has been, there never will be. Please," he added with the boyish smile he knew she could never resist, "do me the honour of accepting to share the Signum with me."

"Always and forever, Elijah."


	37. Kiss Me Hard Before You Go

**Tänan väga, Eesti! :)**

**A big hug goes to Bekki, Anonymous, Marie, Justine, Venomfilledrage, Tricia and Anahita20 - guys, I can't thank you enough for being so kind! :)**

**Major smut warning for today's chapter... ;)**

**THANK YOU, everyone!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

KISS ME HARD BEFORE YOU GO

They did not sleep that night. When they had finally reached the privacy of their room in the wee hours of the morning, after everyone had returned, Caroline had just looked at Klaus with haunted eyes and whispered, "I'm still scared. Can you hold me for a while?" His gaze had darkened, and he had quickly lit the fireplace, pulled her onto the couch and gathered her so close they could both not actually breathe. Neither of them cared.

It had been a few hours by now, and they had not spoken a word. Caroline sighed into the curve of his shoulder where she had been hidden all this time. What if she was never going to experience this wonderful, serene peace again? This absolute harmony, the deep connection she shared with her man – oh, how she was afraid of losing all of that! She hadn't voiced a single doubt to Klaus, knowing that if he realized just how scared and insecure about her plan she really was, he would compel her and tie her up.

After everything she had learned about the Other Side so far, it was apparently not quite like what she had always imagined hell to be, but close enough. She would be able to move about the entire demi-world, which gave her considerably more freedom than most of the other inhabitants enjoyed, but there seemed to be no positive, pleasant, light spot to be found anywhere, and that was what she feared the most – not to have a place to put her mind to rest. She had experienced that during her first weeks in Patagonia. There had been no way whatsoever her mind could relax, being constantly focused on everything negative, dark and frightful. In this case, she assumed her own mind would have to be her sanctuary, and she sincerely hoped she would do a better job about that than she had done during her first separation from Klaus.

"What worries you the most?" his dark, low voice suddenly asked. Caroline knew he couldn't quite read her mind, but there were moments when she wondered if he was somehow able to _feel _what she felt. To read her emotions, in a way. Stretching in his arms, she closed her eyes.

"The Other Side seems to be a truly depressing place. What worries me is that I might not find any place to take a break from the doom and gloom. I mean, it's no big drama, I can take it, but I'm wondering if I'll be at all able to rest."

Klaus' lips were on her hair. _God, I'm going to miss that like crazy!_ "Have you ever heard of the so-called Memory Palace?" he inquired.

Caroline shook her head, eyes still closed. "No. What is that?"

"It basically is a mnemonic technique dating back to Ancient Greek and Roman times, usually employed to confine great amounts of information to memory. But it can also be used as a method of escaping reality for a while when required. It takes years to build, but you can start with a few simple memories. Whatever shape or form works best for you and that you find most appealing, you use as the ground layout. It can be a building with many different rooms, a detailed landscape, a fantasy place… whatever you like to look at. Then you assign a specific memory to a certain room or a portion of your landscape. For instance, let us assume you take our mansion in Mystic Falls as the layout. Recall any given memory, like our wedding day, in as much detail as possible and store it in the study. Now every time you enter our house in your mind, you know that when you visit the study, you will find that specific memory. The actual technique is a little more complex than that, but due to lack of time to properly introduce you to the principle, it will need to suffice for now. With time, you can assign everything to a place of your Memory Palace, not just full reminiscences but things like sounds, songs, sights, smells. At some point, you will be able to take a figurative walk through your Memory Palace, choosing the rooms or places to visit – and those to avoid." He paused to press another tender kiss to the top of her head. "So why don't you think about a place you begin to build your palace around and then choose your two or three happiest memories and store them there? It will enable you to take a short walk and visit them each time you feel like the Other Side gets to you in too intense a way. Furthermore, you can immediately begin to store the memories and experiences you gain down there to their own rooms. For anything that really bothers, hurts or frightens you, you might want to choose a place way removed from the entrance to your palace and far away from your happy places. Make it a longer walk to reach them, maybe store them in a lock room or a cellar, whatever works best for you. Escape to your palace whenever you need to. Building it is an ongoing process, it never truly ends. And it will also help you to preserve the staggering amount of experiences you will have over the course of the centuries."

Opening her eyes, she lifted her head to look at him. "Do you have a memory palace?" she asked curiously.

"I do indeed," he smiled. "It is rather vast by now, and I am adding to it on an almost daily basis."

"What does it look like?"

"If you do not mind, I will wait to tell you until you have begun building your own. You should not be influenced by how my palace is laid out. But once you have chosen a place and begun to furnish it with your own memories, I shall be more than happy to share it with you, my love," he answered softly.

Caroline liked the idea of a Memory Palace. Not only because she would probably need an escape from her surroundings on the Other Side at some point. Storing everything that mattered to her inside her head in such a way that she would never lose any of those memories was an amazing thought. Falling silent, she contemplated what her palace could look like.

All of a sudden, an image floated through her head, a picture of an ivy-clad wooden portal that led to a large hall with terracotta tiled floors, a roofed cloister framing a patio, and a small, very beautiful white marble fountain in the middle of the hall. Heavy wooden doors led from the foyer to a number of rooms and corridors that waited to be furnished. The place did not have an outside, at least not for the time being, and Caroline liked it. She liked it a lot. It was warm, flooded with light, and it was _safe._ It was _her._

Klaus was quiet, simply holding her and letting the thoughts settle inside her head. She closed her eyes again and opened the first door to her right, next to the marble fountain. The room behind it was high-ceilinged with large, floor-length windows, a wooden floor not unlike the one that covered the study in the Mikaelson mansion in Mystic Falls, and big cream-coloured drapes that moved with a light breeze. Oh, she liked this room! And she knew perfectly well which memory would be stored here – her wedding day. The day she and Klaus had been so mind-numbingly happy deserved a light, beautiful and elegant room like this one. Caroline concentrated all of her senses on the details of that wonderful, perfect day. Everything that had happened, everything she had felt, all colours, sounds, sights and scents were being stored in this room for all eternity. Excitement grew inside her as she felt that, amazingly, this was actually working. Stepping back out into the hall where the fountain was gurgling, she turned to look at the door to the room she had just left. It had transformed from solid wood into something semi-transparent, with a fluid image of Klaus as she had seen him the moment she had walked up to him on the beach where they had been married. White pants, white shirt, barefoot… he had looked otherworldly handsome.

The next door was still wooden when she stepped through it. This room looked entirely different from the one before. It was also high-ceilinged with large windows, but it was of a velvety darkness, full of very tiny, twinkling stars. It resembled a night sky, and Caroline immediately associated one memory with it – the Northern Lights in Tromsø. Their first real kiss. Repeating what she had done with the memories of her wedding day, she confined every detail of that magic night in Norway to the beautiful, dark room. When she returned to the foyer, she smiled at the floating image of an Aurora Borealis on the door.

She repeated the process with the remembrances of their first night and the evening she had spent with her Mom before officially moving into the Mikaelson mansion. It took her very long, and during all of that time, Klaus held her silently without moving an inch. She had the strange sensation that their closeness strengthened her memories. The reminiscences were clearer, sharper – at least their joint ones. Caroline suspected it had to do with the Signum somehow enforcing their memories of the events and making them more graphic.

"I like it," she whispered, "thank you for telling me about it. It's a shame I don't have more time to put some additional memories in there, it would be great to spend hours just walking through the rooms and corridors." Klaus listened attentively when she described to him what she imagined her memory palace to look like.

"It sounds like you, my darling. Beautiful, open, light and solid. Not surprisingly, it is quite different from my own memory palace which I will illustrate to you once you have returned. I shall make a drawing of it in order to give you a better idea. Be that as it may, whenever the darkness of the Other Side threatens to consume you, go and visit your palace. It is not just to see your memories. Sit down at your fountain and relax, let the sounds of the water console you, absorb the serenity of the place. It truly is your safe haven, a place where nothing and no one can reach or threaten you."

Shaking her head, she gave him a loving smile. "I always knew you had the soul of an artist, but I wasn't aware that you were so… philosophical. It borders on esoteric, actually."

With a small chuckle, he murmured, "There is nothing romantic about this. It is much more practical than it sounds. I have had many centuries to discover how to best escape your dreary surroundings when they bother you. It does not necessarily have to be out of fear – it can be boredom, annoyance or whatever reason. Apart from recreating paintings in my mind, the Memory Palace is what works best for me. Fall back on it, my darling. Escape to it whenever you need to. Whatever it is that helps you staying sane and grounded and takes your fear you will put to use, will you?"

"Yes, I will, I promise," she acquiesced. "Will you do the same, Niklaus? Please? I need to be sure you will hold it together, my love."

She felt him nod and hug her tighter. "I have to, and I will. I am a man of my word, and I have promised to show you the world, to just be with you and leave everything else behind. And that is exactly what we will do." He paused and she felt his finger underneath her chin, gently nudging her head up until she was looking at him. "Caroline, I have not been very enthusiastic about this whole idea, but we will make it through. Both of us. This," he gestured between the two of them, "this is our reward for pain and fear, and I am willing to pay any price for it."

Their lips found each other, passionately and wildly this time, drinking each other in and attempting to seal the sensation into one another's skin. Pulling out of the sizzling kiss, Klaus took her face in his hands. "Feed from me, my love. Even though you might not need the physical strength, I want to know that my blood is in your system when it happens."

Caroline stared into his eyes, wishing she could have him feed on her at the same time, but she would never take the risk. If there was only the teensiest little trace of Pale Blood in her, he would die instantly. Still, she felt reluctant not to be able to offer him the same sort of pleasure that was awaiting her. He just nodded and ran his thumb over her lower lip.

"Show me that beautiful, dark face of yours," he whispered, and she needed no further convincing. Her fangs descended and she felt the black veins under her eyes protrude. Klaus tenderly ran a finger over the veins and smiled at her vampire face. She knew he liked to look at it, almost as much as he adored it when she drank from him. With a low moan, she sank her fangs into his neck. _Oh holy hell, what is that?_ His blood touched her tongue and she had the feeling she was on a straight path to heaven. It had always been sweet, spicy and delicious, but now it was something so sublime it almost made her entire body shortcircuit. It was the single most enticing, arousing, soothing and addictive thing she had ever tasted.

With a start, she pulled back to shake her head. "I can't! Niklaus, your blood is unspeakably good! I mean, it always has been, but this is something else entirely. It… it must have something to do with the Signum turning golden. Once I start, I will never be able to stop, and I am not taking any risk of hurting you!"

He pulled her close until his lips brushed her ear. "Do not worry for one second, my darling girl. Just feed. I will stop you should it get to be too much for me, rest assured. I am sorry to state the obvious, but I am still stronger than you are. Physically. Come on now, have at it."

She tried to resist for another second but the pull was too potent. Straddling him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her fangs in his neck once more. Before completely succumbing to the incredible taste of his Golden Blood, she heard him groan at feeling her lips, her tongue and her teeth on his skin. But then there was nothing left but pure and unadulterated ecstasy. Her mind went blank and she fell into a strange kind of trance, sucking and licking his blood, not aware of how she was moaning with every little drop that touched her lips, how she was crushing him to her… and how the unconscious motions of her hips on his lap were turning him into a twitchy mess. She drank and drank, filling herself with his strong, delectable, intoxicating blood. She had no idea how much time had gone by, and she didn't really care, when she felt him pull her back, very gently but determinedly. Trying to hold on to him, she made a sound of protest – it hadn't been enough! She needed more of his blood, she hadn't had anything yet!

"You will need to stop now, my heart," he purred at her ear, "or you might begin to truly weaken me. And I do not believe that is what you want, is it?"

_But I want more! More!_

_Caroline, get a grip! You're hurting him! Stop it!_

Very slowly, she backed away from his skin, desperately struggling to control the burning desire to fight against his hands and just latch onto his neck again. After a short while, however, the paralyzing urge subsided, and it felt like a cloud lifted from her senses.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Niklaus," she whispered, thunderstruck by her own loss of control. "I didn't mean to…"

"Everything is perfectly fine, Caroline. You did not hurt me, but you drank a significant amount of my blood, and even I can be weakened by blood loss to an extent. How do you feel?"

She pondered his question for a moment. "Really good. Energized. Powerful. Wow, if this is how you feel all the time, I want to be an Original Hybrid with Golden Blood, too," she teased. With a gleam in her eyes, she looked up at him while she moved on his lap. His sharp intake of breath ignited something in her. "I want you, Niklaus. No, correction. I want Big Bad Hybrid Klaus now. In his full, wicked, Sex God glory," she hissed. "No mercy. None whatsoever, even if I ask for it."

"You should know me well enough to remember that I don't do mercy," he growled, and she could almost hear the raw arousal in his voice. "And even less when fucking you, my little devil."

A quick rush of anticipation thundered through her at the sound of the one word she knew he only ever used when he was ragingly angry. Or unspeakably turned on.

In a blur, he was gone and back, and before Caroline could say a word, he had blindfolded her with a black silk scarf. A heated wave of desire almost knocked her over when his velvety voice was at her ear. "You can beg, plead and cry – this time, it will not go your way. You will do as I say, you will feel what I want you to feel, you will come when I allow you to. You will crash and burn. With me."

_Damn, yes! Take me, burn me, possess me!_

She was being slammed into the balcony door, her hands trapped underneath his, pressed against the glass. His tongue was on the nape of her neck, brutally attacking her skin, aided by his teeth. His whole body was moving against hers while his mouth made its way to her throat, his weight pushing her further against the window. Now his hands released hers. "Don't move your hands. They stay where they are," he commanded in a growl. She could only nod as his hands found their way to her core, always remaining above the pants. He just cupped her sex and pushed her against him, making her moan with longing as she felt him iron-hard against her butt. The way he subtly rocked his hips against her while keeping his hand on her core, his fingers moving ever so slightly, was mind-blowing.

Suddenly, she felt her pants being slid down her legs, his hands on her naked skin, following the fabric down to her feet. She stepped out of her jeans, her knees wobbling, when she felt his mouth on her backside. _My Goood!_ His tongue and teeth were mercilessly exploring every inch of her skin, and Caroline just sagged against the glass, holding on for dear life while the incredible sensations made her almost sob with want. Klaus became ever more ravenous with each passing minute, his hands now joining his mouth in the exquisite agony he was inflicting on her. His tongue slipped beneath the hem of her panties, tracing the outline of the fabric on her butt. At the very same instant, his hand discovered the path towards her sex, cupping her core from between her legs and gently running a finger along her length. Caroline cried out and hit the wall with her flat hand, not finding another way to bear the overwhelming hunger that flashed through her.

"What?" he hissed against her hot skin, "what is it you want, Caroline?"

"You, dammit, you!"

Snickering, he bit her butt with his blunt teeth. "And you'll have me. More of me than you can possibly bear."

_Doubt…ful… ahh!_

He pulled her down to the floor, and for a moment, she was not sure what he wanted her to do as he stopped her when she was on her knees. A split second later, she knew. She was leaning against the glass, her knees pushed apart – and then she felt his tongue beneath her, right after he had torn her panties. He pulled her further down until his tongue was so deeply buried inside her she almost fainted. Her hands slid across the glass and her head fell back as he began to truly devour her. His tongue, his lips, his entire face were making love to her. _No. Fucking me. No. Both._ Her clit was burning hot and throbbing, she was as wet as she had never been in her life, and her man was turning her into a sobbing mess with his demonic skills. She heard him moan loudly against her core, and in a brief coherent moment, she decided on revenge and began to gently move her hips back and forth against his greedy mouth. She had thought he would stop her, as this was _his_ game, but he didn't. With a deep, dark groan, he grabbed her hips and aided her movements. _Ohh… this is so gooood… dirtydirty… divine… _Damn, yes, she felt dirty and she loved it like crazy.

Her climax was looming, but something told her he would not allow her to come just yet. When he felt her go rigid, he slid out from under her and ran his tongue up her butt and her spine, pulling up her shirt and tearing off her bra. A brief gust of wind told her he had rid himself of his clothes at full vampire speed, and a second later, she felt him kneel behind her, one hand between her legs. He slipped a finger inside her tight heat and moaned with sheer delight.

"You are so bloody erotic, my love, it drives me insane in a way nothing has in a millennium. If I could only tell you just how it turns me on to see you like this… legs spread, hot, wet, waiting for me to make you scream." He pulled her back a little, then he roughly pushed her onto all fours. "You shall not have to wait any longer." And she did scream when his massive, hard cock slammed into her until he was buried to the hilt. His hands were on her hips, and for a moment, he remained deeply sheathed inside her, making her contract around him. "Gods, Caroline, stop that!" he gasped, "My rules, remember?"

"Oh really?" she grated. "What happens if I break them?"

"This." He began to thrust into her hard, very hard, the sound of flesh against flesh echoing from the walls. Caroline could hardly hold herself up on her own hands when he took her. It had been far too long since he had been like this with her – hard, possessive, demanding. They had made somewhat rougher love a couple of times ever since they had found each other again, but not like this, not in that incredibly ferocious, stormy way that was so _Klaus._ And that she had never thought she would come to crave so badly. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips, his breathing was ragged and Caroline wished she could see his face contorted in pleasure, eyes on her body, burning with his need for her. She began to push her hips back against his, meeting his brutal thrusts and closing her eyes in sheer crazed desire, her fingers clawing into the rug, trying to find some hold during her quick, hot, blind ride through heaven.

Without a warning, Klaus pulled out of her, ignoring her protest and wrapping his arm around her waist, lifting her from the ground and unceremoniously throwing her onto the bed. In the very same second, his mouth was buried between her legs again, his tongue relentlessly assaulting her clit and her entire sex until she saw stars behind the blindfold. She knew she was by turns stammering incoherent words, gasping, moaning and crying out. He brought her close, oh _so_ close, and each time she was just about to come, he slowed his onslaught.

"Let me see you," she grated desperately, knowing that looking at him moving between her thighs would send her over the edge immediately. And ever since their first time, she had adored watching their bodies take each other.

"Not yet," he moaned, and Caroline couldn't help a smile at how shaky his voice sounded. He was enjoying her ecstasy more than his own, it had always been like that. _When I'm back, I'll ask him to take me just the way _he _wants me, to just use me to chase his own pleasure without thinking about anything but himself. Oh, I want that!_ But then she had no more time to think, for she was almost there again. His tongue moved over her core with unnatural speed, and she felt her orgasm a second away when he was gone.

"Niklaus, I'll _kill_ you!" she exclaimed, breathing heavily and grabbing the sheets, trying to force her body to climax on its own. Suddenly, she felt warm water flowing over her torso. _Ohhh! _Inhaling sharply, her back arched from the mattress, welcoming the divine feeling of moisture on her heated body when she sensed him enter her, filling her up, conquering her. His body covered hers, and they both groaned at how he slid over her, the thin film of water between them allowing him to glide over every inch of her skin. And he did. There was no part of him that was not moving while he made love to her… it was beyond compare. She spread her arms to her sides and sinuously moved underneath him, provoking a series of groans from Klaus. He adjusted his angle, and Caroline grabbed his backside. "Harder. Come on, Niklaus, is that all you've got?" she hissed, perfectly well aware that he would take her words as a provocation.

Klaus growled and delved deeper into her, running a hand down the side of her thigh, then grabbing the back of her knee and hitching up her leg, his hand resting on her thigh while he increased the force of his thrusts. "Oh, believe me, my love, I have not even started," he rasped, just before tearing the blindfold from her face. "But you will look at me from now on. I know my desire for you drives you crazy, and that is what I want. I want you insane with need."

"I am," she whispered, "and you know it."

His hand was around her throat, and in perfect rhythm with his pumping, he squeezed carefully. "Not yet. You are not yet there, Caroline."

She couldn't tear her eyes from his face, and she knew he could see how her eyes widened infinitesimally with every time his hand closed around her throat. It turned her on very heavily, it always had, but what even added to her desperate arousal was the fact that she trusted him so completely that there was nothing she would not let him do to her. There was no safer place in the world for her body, her heart and her soul than in the hands of the one man she loved so madly.

He crushed his lips to hers, invading her mouth with his tongue and closing his eyes in pleasure when she responded with a wild groan. His hand squeezed her throat again lightly while he kissed her with complete abandon, making them both quiver. His other hand slipped between their heated, wet bodies and began to recklessly play with her clit, sending deep, rich tremors all through her system. She moaned and sent her own hand down her side, joining his. He exhaled before he grabbed her fingers and pulled out of her a few inches, stopping his thrusts. Guiding her hand to the shaft of his pulsating cock, he returned his fingers to her sex and continued to stroke her clit. Caroline began to gently pump him, her eyes closing at the incredible sensation of his hard cock half-buried inside her while she had her hand around it and her fingers played with every inch of the velvety skin she could reach.

Klaus gave a deep, loud moan and quickened his caresses of her throbbing clit. "Yes, my angel… yes," he whispered hoarsely, sending a shiver through her spine at the raging desire she could hear in his voice. Very roughly, she shoved him off her, and her mouth was around his cock before he even hit the mattress. His hands knotted in her hair as she began to devour him, and his voice became ever more ragged when her lips and her tongue showered him with passion. "Faster, my love… ah… Gods, Caroline!" he exclaimed when she increased her speed and made her tongue lick him all the more forcefully while her hand gripped him firmly, aiding her mouth in its movements.

All of a sudden, he growled. "No. You will be the one to beg _me_ today." And with that, he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom, placing her on the stone ledge of the large, square bathtub, his hands on her butt, pulling her forward until she was sitting right on the edge. Her breath caught when he pushed her legs further apart and cast a searing look into her face. Then he leaned over her and turned on the water. Caroline had no idea what he was doing, but she no longer cared when he knelt before her and pulled her thighs over his shoulders again. He caressed her legs, inhaling her scent before his beautiful mouth was back on her sex and Caroline's head dropped backwards, her hands desperately holding on to the ledge. He almost brought her to climax, over and over again, and in a brief moment, she felt reminded of how she had blacked out the first time he had done that, back in Mystic Falls.

"Please, Niklaus… mercy!" she finally begged, feeling him shake his head and slipping three fingers inside her while he tenderly circled her clit with his tongue. He had been very gentle ever since they had entered the bathroom, building even more anticipation and desire inside her, making her crave relief so violently she almost failed to notice how the water was flowing over the edge of the tub, running along her thighs and her backside. "Niklaus," she panted, "the water!" He didn't respond, but his tongue increased its sinful rhythm on her core while his fingers curled inside her, and Caroline completely forgot that she was supposed to care about anything at all. Pushing her legs further apart, Klaus licked her for everything he was worth, and Caroline felt an earthquake coming up.

The moment everything inside her erupted, Klaus grabbed her wrists and shoved her arms to the sides, making her torso fall backwards without any chance for her to hold on to anything. Her head and her upper body splashed into the warm water, and Caroline almost had a seizure from the incredible pleasure that raced through her at the devastating orgasm that joined forces with the soft, mellow water engulfing her now. Unconsciously, she stretched her torso and her arms out beneath the water while her butt was still on the ledge of the tub, and she further spread her legs on his shoulder to somehow bear the ecstasy that had captivated her entire body, making her press her sex even closer to his mouth. Over her own subdued moans beneath the water, she heard Klaus' guttural groan of her name against her core. _Divine. Perfect. My bloody, freaking Sex God._

When she had given him everything, even the last remainders of her all-consuming orgasm, when he was finally satisfied with how she had thrashed in the water in the throes of her climax, he swiftly dived into the tub and pulled her up to him. Her arms went around his neck, and her eyes closed for a moment when he lovingly kissed her temple. But they opened again immediately at feeling his cock against her thigh. He was hard to the point of bursting, and even though she was still slightly shivering with the aftermath of her orgasm, Caroline wanted him inside her now. And she wanted him as lost in his desire as she had just been in hers. Without a word, she pushed him against the tub and straddled him, slowly lowering herself onto his length, smiling when his moan told her just how desperate he was to have her.

Caroline grabbed the edge of the tub for support and let her hips take him, using the leverage the hold gave her to summon all the force she could. She knew she was being brutal, violent, but she could see in his eyes that Klaus adored it beyond words. He stared at her in fascination, never suppressing his sensual moans; with every move he gave her a little more of him and yet, she still wasn't satisfied. All of a sudden, she stopped her motions, panting and staring into his eyes. She needed a quick instant to absorb the passion, the blazing heat of this moment. There was something closely resembling pain in his face when he groaned.

"Please. Oh Gods, please, don't stop! I need you. Fuck me, my love, as wildly as you can. Please."

_Bloody hell, you're just giving me the chills when you beg me like that!_ She took a better hold of the tub and slammed down on him. The water was splashing all around them, and Caroline put everything she had, everything she was into their frenzied mating. His hands came around her, resting on her back while his mouth greedily devoured her breast, licking and biting her nipple until it was raw and throbbing. She closed her eyes. Her hips seemed to be moving on their own accord, and every muscle in her body was tense, focused on giving her Klaus all the pleasure in the world. Increasing her pace, she brushed his ear with her lips, and in the very second she gathered all her power to thrust onto him, her tongue invaded his ear. With a dark outcry, his head fell back and his fingers dug into her butt. Then he raised his head and stared into her face, challenge in his eyes.

"More of that," he demanded, his voice a scratchy rasp.

She gave herself completely, and she took everything from him. They moved as one, violently slamming into each other, their eyes wide, every nerve in their bodies raw and exposed to each other's greed. Caroline felt alive, beautiful and infinitely sexy in his arms, and she didn't want to lose any of it. Feeling his body go rigid, she gasped as she was suddenly slammed into the tub, making another tidal wave of water slosh into the room. Just as he had done in her dream back in Ushuaia, he took charge now, using all of his Original strength to make her eyes glaze over with pure ecstasy. When his thumb was on her clit, rubbing a very rough pattern, she couldn't bear it any longer. Grabbing his face, she slung her legs around him.

"Make us come. Right now."

Without a warning, he slowed down, and Caroline was about to cry out in frustration when she noticed that he was rolling his hips into hers, gradually hitting her spot from different angles while moving another finger to her clit. The change in rhythm was what finally made them both come undone.

Seeing his face contort in pure, unadulterated intoxication, she cried out his name, echoed by Klaus as he grated hers. They had cupped each other's face, their eyes on one another, trembling and shuddering through their explosive release until their desperate gasps for air gradually slowed down.

After pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, he lifted her out of the tub, grabbing a large towel. When he attempted to wrap her in it, she shook her head. "No. Your skin only." His eyes turned almost unbearably tender, and he ran a single finger along her cheek. Then he carried her to their bed and surrounded her as much as he could, covering her body with his. Looking down at her, he shook his head.

"Caroline," he whispered, "I love you. And right at this very moment, I feel the almost unbearable urge to kneel before you and beg you not to die, whatever the price. It has nothing to do with my not trusting your strength or believing that it might not work." He fell silent for a moment, and Caroline felt that whatever he was about to say was not easy for him. Biting his lip, he swallowed. "My darling girl, please, _please_ return to me. You are all that matters to me. You are my humanity, you are everything that is redeemable about me. Don't take yourself away for good. I am begging you, Caroline. There is no meaning to my life without you."

A few single tears escaped her eyes, and she was dangerously close to a sob when he tenderly wiped the small drops from her face. "I'm not all that is redeemable about you, and you know that." She lowered her head and crushed herself to him. "Niklaus, when you make love to me like that, when you hold me like you do right now, when you tell me just how much you love me, it is all I can do not to break down and implore you to just take me away from here and hide me from the world and from all that is going to happen. But someday, I want to be able to just live my love for you without any looming dangers, at least for a while. And we will have to go through this now in order to get to that happy place. My God, there is nothing I could ever want less than to leave your side, but I promise you – I will come back to you. You know that even while I'm gone, I will still be with you… right here." She placed a hand over his heart. "You and I are indestructible."

Klaus covered her hand with his. "That we are. I do not doubt that. What worries me is how I cannot protect you on the Other Side. You will be on your own, and we cannot predict what will happen there. We cannot be one step ahead, we will have to react instead of running the game, and I do not like it. I hate the thought of you being a world away, surrounded by nothing but darkness."

She leaned in and placed loving, gentle kisses all over his face. "Believe in me. Please. I will cope, and I most definitely will return to you. Focus on what you need to do. I have to die to break the spell and to free you from further threats, and I am dying on my own terms. We took all precautions. I will be uncomfortable, yes, but that is a very small price to pay for the safety of our family and friends… and our happiness. Just promise me you will always remember one thing, Niklaus."

He kissed her very softly, caressing her cheek with his knuckles. "Anything, my darling girl."

With a smile, she closed her eyes for a second, then she looked at him, all her emotions clearly readable on her face.

"Don't ever forget that you are worthy. Worthy of love, trust and friendship. No man in the world is more deserving of my love than you are."


	38. Fading to Grey

**Terima kasih banyak Indonesia! :)**

**My lovely guest reviewers, you truly brightened my day again! Bekki, Marie, Justine, Venomfilledrage, Anahita20, HanaH and Tricia - thank you, dearies! :)**

**I only wanted to post this one chapter today, but it truly is short, so I think I will be posting another one afterwards... and I hope you will find them both review-worthy! ;)  
**

**A big thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favourited! **

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

FADING TO GREY

Everyone was gathered in the study. _Where else?_ Caroline and Klaus were huddled together on the couch, his arm around her, her head on his shoulder and her hand on his heart, covered by his own. They couldn't take their eyes off each other. Their family and friends were gazing at them with worried faces, and even Elijah whose innate calm was almost never shaken seemed a little nervous. Caroline was aware that he was uneasy about how his brother would react to seeing her die, but he, too, did not want to lose her. It warmed her heart, even through all her fear and her anxiety.

When the silence stretched out, Elijah sighed. "Caroline, Niklaus, Kol. Shall we… proceed, then?" _No! No! I don't want to leave you, my love! I don't want to die!_ Everything inside her screamed at her to run, to tell them that she had changed her mind and to beg Klaus to find another way. But she only nodded, just as Klaus' arms came around her, crushing her to him. Not caring about who was watching, he buried his face in her hair, holding her more desperately than he ever had.

"Brother," she heard the oldest Mikaelson murmur, "all will be well. We will see to it, and Caroline is very strong, as you well know. Sister, would you like to say your farewells now?"

Gritting her teeth, she pressed Klaus to her for an instant before she rose and stepped up to her family and friends, hugging them all one after another, exchanging a few words and trying to fight down the big lump that was growing in her throat and the knot that her stomach had turned into. Her fear was increasing with every passing second. What if something didn't work out right? What if she went on to the Eternal Realm of the Dead after all? What if… No, she had to hold it together, for Klaus. If he saw her breaking down, it would make everything infinitely harder for him, and subsequently for all of them.

Kol approached her now, a grin on his face and the dagger in his hand. "I hope Nik's dagger wielding proficiency has rubbed off on you, dear sister." He paused when he saw her stricken face. "You'll be fine, Caroline, and you'll do very well. Remember you can't hurt me, and we will all look after my creepy brother while you're gone."

Her mind numb, she nodded and turned towards Klaus who had risen from the couch. Standing in front of her, he took her face in his hands, not even trying to hide his fear and despair. They were silent for a few minutes, just staring into each other's eyes. There were no words, not really. What were you supposed to say to the love of your eternity when you were about to voluntarily die and leave him behind? Finally, Caroline lifted a hand and tenderly touched his golden Signum.

"Niklaus," she whispered, her voice breaking.

His fingers brushed her own golden mark. "Caroline." The word was hardly audible.

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her desperately before crushing her in his embrace one last time. She clung to him, melting into his strong, granite body, inhaling his scent and wishing for the thousandth time to run away with him and leave everything behind. Very slowly, they let go of each other, their eyes wide and haunted.

With a silent nod, Kol placed the dagger in her hand and lightly kissed her cheek. She felt Elijah's hand on her shoulder, warm and reassuring, but she had eyes only for Klaus. He took her hand with the dagger and guided it towards his younger brother's rib cage. "This," he muttered between clenched teeth, "this is where you have to place the dagger to have direct access to his heart."

"Niklaus," Elijah said quietly. "You do not have to do this."

"Yes, brother," he replied, "I do. Now, Caroline, once you have daggered Kol, you will immediately begin to desiccate. It will feel like a stake to your heart, and it will not take long. Your senses will abandon you quickly, and you will pass out before you know it. You will not suffer, my angel, I promise."

Caroline nodded. Taking hold of the dagger, she pressed her lips together. "Sorry, brother," she murmured at Kol. Then her eyes locked firmly with Klaus who had stepped behind his younger sibling, staring at her over his shoulder. She could see how his eyes were red-rimmed. He was not crying, but he was close.

Without a warning, she rammed the blade right into her brother-in-law's heart.

A nauseating wave of weakness raced through her body, making her numb and frail in a way she had never felt before, not even the first time she had died. She could no longer hold the dagger, and right before she could hit the ground, she was in Klaus' arms. He lowered her to the floor, holding her close, his shaky hand cupping her face.

"I… love… you…" she choked out almost inaudibly. She could no longer breathe, no longer see… no longer feel his arms around her. Just before all of her senses evanesced for good, she heard something. His voice. His beautiful, dark, strangled voice was the last thing her consciousness discerned before her life ended.

"My one. My only. I love you, always and forever."

* * *

Klaus held her lifeless, desiccated body in his arms, desperately trying not to burst into tears. He knew he would get her back eventually, and he was also aware that she was safe on the Other Side, but she was _dead!_ He had not yet truly got over their previous separation, and now she had gone even further away. A world was between them.

He lowered his forehead to hers, ignoring the stares of his family and friends who had all remained in the study. This time, he would keep it together, just as he had promised his Caroline, but he needed a little moment to come to terms with the situation. No one was speaking, and he was well aware that Elijah never took his eyes off him, prepared to snap his neck at the faintest sign of danger. Staring down at his motionless wife, he could simply not help the single tear that escaped him. Gathering her closer, his hand absently touched his Signum, out of habit.

It was still there.

Puzzled, Klaus frowned and looked over at Elijah. "It has not disappeared," he muttered, pointing at his neck and gazing at his brother in confusion. "How can that be? Once the bearer of a Signum dies, the other vampire loses the mark. And yet…"

Everyone was gaping at his neck now. "I would assume that your bond has become so unbreakable that not even death is able to dissolve it. Which means we will have to rethink our strategy in regards to both Miss Bennett and Marcel. You will either have to hide the Signum, or we will have to make everyone believe Caroline is still alive and can be used as a bargaining chip against you."

Klaus flinched, but his brother was right. "The latter," he said firmly. "No one in the whole world knows about the meaning of the golden Signum, and even less will anyone suspect the mark to remain in place once the other vampire has died. Everyone will just assume that Caroline is still missing." He paused. "We will need to get started very soon. It will begin with me reappearing publicly, at Remy's. I will look broken, lifeless and desperate, which Marcel's lackeys will report to him immediately. He will believe that it is the perfect moment to go for the Original Grimoire, threatening me with killing Caroline, Kol and everyone else until I agree to give him the document. Or offering to reveal their whereabouts in exchange. It might even be Miss Bennett who will appear as the negotiator, and they will probably at some point offer the stakes as well. In any case, I will put up some resistance, but not too much. You did replace the White Oak with the regular stakes, did you not, brother?"

Elijah nodded. "Davina also put an invisibility spell on them, so they will not know the difference until the stakes are unspelled, and almost certainly not even then. Be that as it may, the White Oak has been removed from the equation once and for all."

Looking over at the young witch, Klaus asked, "Has Bonnie spoken to you about becoming an Original Witch yet?"

"No," Davina said, "but the last couple of times I was at her house, she has been watching me very closely. I think you were actually right, Klaus, she _is_ going to ask. I just don't know when, and I can't really rush her, for she would see through me immediately."

Kol, whom Elijah had undaggered right after Caroline had died, was beginning to assume his normal colour now, and would not be more than a few minutes until he would be back among them. Klaus looked around, his girl still securely in his arms. Everyone was silent, and he saw Elena staring at Caroline's lifeless body with tears in her eyes. Silv, too, seemed shaken. Seeing them flustered like this made him snap out of his daze. The more time he wasted, the longer it would be until they would finally be reunited. For good. He cleared his throat and nodded at Davina.

"Would you mind placing an invisibility spell on her?" he asked, gesturing at Caroline's body. "I cannot imagine any circumstances that would bring intruders to this house, but one will always have to expect the unexpected, and I need to prevent anyone from holding her body hostage. That would make me very unhappy, as some of you might remember from previous experience," he added with a pointed look at Stefan who raised an eyebrow.

Nodding at his brother's words, Elijah asked, "Where do you want to keep her until she returns?"

"Our room," the younger Original muttered, making Damon give an incredulous laugh.

"I had no idea that you were the actual inspiration for 'Psycho', dude. Do you at least have a rocking chair for her to sit in? Come on, keeping a corpse in your own room is creepy even for you."

Hearing Elena's sharp intake of breath at Damon's tactless comment, he very carefully placed Caroline's body on the couch, then he flashed over to the older Salvatore at top speed and smashed him into the book shelf, his hand at his throat. "Listen, mate, I am in absolutely no mood for your little jabs today. And should I hear you call my wife a corpse again, you will have much bigger worries than my kicking your ass into the Atlantic."

Damon raised his hands in defeat. "Put a lid on it, Klaus. I was kidding, and you know that. Give me a call when you have found your sense of humour again."

With a snarl, Klaus tightened his grip around the younger vampire's throat. "I will be happy to once you tell me exactly how humorous Elena's death was to you back in the day, mate."

"Damon," Elena chimed in now, tears still evident in her voice, "can you, for once in your life, try to be remotely considerate of other people's feelings? Caroline just _died_, and much as I normally appreciate your snarkiness, this is most definitely not the moment." She rose and stepped up to the two of them, surprising everyone by putting a hand on Klaus' arm. "I'm sorry, Klaus. She will come back, we all know that, but I'm still sorry. And he is a jerk," she added with a sideways glance at Damon.

Very reluctantly, Klaus let go of the older Salvatore and nodded at Elena. "Thank you. Davina?"

The witch rose from her chair as he returned to the couch and lifted Caroline's body from it. The two of them made their way out of the study when Davina turned around to look at Silv questioningly. The older woman gave her an encouraging smile. "You will do this one on your own, and it will be perfect. Remember what I told you about how to channel the energy between your hands and fingers and how to focus on the outline of the shape that is being spelled." The younger woman bit her lip and nodded, and Klaus fought down the urge to demand that Silv be there to supervise Davina. He knew she needed to gain more confidence in her own abilities in order to perform the much more complicated spells that were required going forward. It was just that he hated the thought of having her test her capabilities on Caroline of all people.

When they reached the room, he gently lowered his wife's body onto the bed, tenderly running a hand over her desiccated cheek. _I love you, my darling girl. So madly. _After staring at her grey face for another minute, he stepped back to give Davina the space she required. The witch raised her arms to her sides and began to mumble, moving her fingers in a deliberate sequence while following the shape of Caroline's body with her hands. Klaus watched her very closely, and he could feel the energy around them. Knowing a thing or two about witches, he had to agree with Silv – this girl was truly gifted and very, very powerful. Her innate magic, combined with her talent and the additional capabilities the Original status would bring her, would make her the single most potent witch in existence. Of all times, maybe. And for once, this power would be in the hands of someone truly deserving. His instincts for everyone's basic human nature almost never failed him – Marcel being the notable exception – and he knew that despite the many Black Witches and Warlocks in her bloodline, Davina was as far from darkness as Caroline was. Klaus remembered how back in Norway, he had told Elijah that darkness was always stronger than light, but he had been proven wrong. Caroline's light was much more powerful than his own darkness, and he had the distinct feeling that Davina could be just that beacon of light for Kol. Once all of this was over.

The witch had stopped muttering and gazed down at Caroline's body. Gradually, her slender frame disappeared until there was nothing to be seen but thin air. Swallowing, Klaus approached the bed and reached out to touch the invisible form, needing to reassure himself that she was in fact still there. He ran his hand over her hair and closed his eyes for a second before gathering his wits.

"Thank you, Davina. For everything you have done for my family so far. And… for everything you will still do. I am not very apt at gratitude, but please rest assured that I am indeed indebted to you. I know your ancestor told you to trust me, but you could have very easily chosen not to, and I am glad you did follow Samedi's advice. I did not know him for overly long, but he was an imposing man, and I did like him. As you have probably gathered by now, that is not something I can say of many people."

Lowering her head, the young witch gazed at the floor for a moment before looking at him again. "Klaus, I know this sounds weird. I have difficulties with the thought myself, but something tells me that my place is… with your family. It is just a feeling, albeit a very strong one. You will probably find me presumptuous, but…"

"I do not," he interrupted, giving her a faint smile. "You are aware that my relationship with my younger brother is somewhat complex and has never been characterized by an overly amount of harmony. Neither of us is an easy man, and it takes very headstrong, special, luminous women to deal with us. I have found that woman." His smile deepened. "And something tells me my brother has been found as well."

Blushing scarlet, Davina shook her head. "But he has not found me."

His sense of humour returned for an instant as he chuckled inwardly at the thought of playing love counselor, and for his rebellious younger sibling at that. Unfathomable.

"Oh, but he has. He just does not realize it yet." With another smile for the young woman he was slowly beginning to understand might someday become a member of his family, he pointed towards the door.

"Let us get to work, shall we?"


	39. Fresh Meat

**Second chapter for the day! ;)**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

FRESH MEAT

Darkness.

It was the one word that sprang to her mind when she opened her eyes. It was not dark in the sense of the velvety blackness of a night on Earth, it was a murky, tainted shadiness that reminded her of petrol. There were no smells, no sounds, and at first, she couldn't detect any physical sensations at all. Lifting her head, she looked around.

She was on the ground of what seemed to be a wide stretch of wasteland. Behind her, she could see the beginnings of a forest, but the trees were not majestic and full of leaves. They looked deformed and gnarly, dry and dead. They cast additional shadows on the already dark landscape, and Caroline gave an involuntary shiver. In the distance, she discerned the hazy outline of high, massive walls, set on a rolling hill. Other than that, nothing was to be seen, no trace of life and not the remotest hint of light or brightness. She closed her eyes for a second and raised her hand to her neck. She didn't have the same sense of tact, not the way it had been on the Plane of the Living, but she could feel herself in some way and was amazed to notice her Signum intact – then again, she was dead, and it was only the surviving vampire's mark that disappeared, wasn't it? Well, whatever the reason, it would give her strength.

Slowly scrambling to her feet, Caroline gazed towards the towering, almost apocalyptic walls. Was this there where everyone was gathered? She was free to move around at her leisure, but being a vampire she supposed she had arrived at the sector to which her kind was usually confined. Looking down at herself, she noticed she was wearing the clothes she had died in – denims, a black shirt and a light leather jacket. For some reason, she was glad she hadn't been wearing a skirt or anything overly fashionable. _Geez, how can I still think about clothes? _She straightened to her full height and took a deep breath, more out of habit than need. It was not that one had to actually breathe on the Other Side. Directing her steps towards the walls, it took her a moment to get used to what seemed to be less gravity than on Earth. It was a strange way of walking, all light and weightless. Cocking her head, Caroline jumped forward. _Wow!_ She was flying ahead about ninety yards, and she hadn't even used any strength at all. Taking a couple of steps to gain momentum, she deliberately put all her power behind the next jump. This time, she took a leap of at least three hundred yards, landing softly and elegantly on her feet. Raising her brows, she wondered whether this was how people travelled on the Other Side. Well, public transportation seemed to be somewhat underdeveloped.

It took her a few more long jumps before reaching the foot of the wall. Looking up, she saw that the massive stone construction was at least a hundred feet high, with no windows, incisions or anything else. She stepped closer and touched her hand to the stone, wondering whether it was real or just there in her head. It _felt_ real. Cold, solid, exuding menace. She remembered Remy speaking about how there was some sort of physicality to the Other Side. It was a real world, but it was nested somewhere in between the solid, tangible substance of Earth and the ethereal perpetuity of the Eternal Realm, so it would seem that the Other Side was constructed with elements of both of the 'main' worlds.

Caroline walked along the wall, looking for some sign of life, but she didn't hear or see anything for a very long while. She had been concentrating on finding some hints within the wall, so she hadn't noticed how she was suddenly enveloped in fog. A spontaneous wave of panic flashed through her, making her shiver. _Calm down. The Other Side is dark, depressing and scary. It is supposed to frighten you, but nothing can actually happen. Just think of _him_._ Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall and conjured his face, the expression in his stormy eyes every time he told her he loved her. The yearning grew to an almost unbearable level when she thought of his scent, his warmth, his protectiveness and the way he held her whenever she was scared like she was now. But she had promised him she would fight down everything dark and tainted and preserve her light, and that was exactly what she would do. Biting her lip, she moved forward, one hand on the wall as she could no longer see anything through the thick fog. After what seemed miles of feeling her way ahead, the mural suddenly gave way to what seemed to be some sort of portal. There were no doors, no barriers, and Caroline still could not see a thing when she took a hesitant step inside. At the very same instant, a loud gong split the absolute silence.

And then she heard it. There were whispers. Innumerable voices flittered through the void, coming at her from all sides, although what they said was initially not discernible. Caroline concentrated on distinguishing some particularly expressive voices, trying to make out what it was they were muttering.

It sounded suspiciously like "Fresh meat."

Grinding her teeth, she advanced very slowly. The ground felt like cobblestones and for some reason, she had the distinct feeling that the walls were housing a castle of sorts. The voices never ceased to whisper, but no one approached her. It was very uncomfortable to move blindly, and she tried to just rely on her senses which for the most part seemed to be working even in this strange world. Suddenly, she stumbled over something, and regaining her balance, she let her foot explore what it was. Massive stone, long, just a few inches high. A step? Tentatively, she stepped on it and found another one. Stairs. Ascending carefully, she counted the steps. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. At the eightieth step, the stairwell ended and she reached what felt like a platform. Caroline supposed that walking straight ahead would probably be the logical thing to do, although she wasn't sure whether logic worked the same way down here. Taking one step at a time, she advanced to the crescendo of voices until the fog abruptly dissolved. And she was simply not prepared for the sight that awaited her.

She was standing in the center of a wide, rectangular square, staring up at a gigantic, pitch-black building. For an absurd moment, she felt the wild impulse to giggle at the sight of the somber construction that so reminded her of a dark, medieval version of Neuschwanstein Castle. But the chill, the iciness it exuded wasn't funny at all. As weren't the voices she could now place – they came from within. The square was as empty as was the entire lower quadrangle she had crossed to reach the stairwell. Why wasn't anyone outside?

Taking another unneeded deep breath, Caroline briefly thought of Klaus sitting in a chair, feigning to be immobilized while being exposed to unimaginable torture. He was so incredibly strong, and she would be as well. Apart from the fact that she had no other choice than to bear whatever there was to endure, the silly little girl inside her wanted him to be proud of her once all of this was over. Her gaze fell on a gate, its huge iron doors wide open to reveal more blackness behind it. Nodding to herself, she walked towards the entrance very determinedly, not betraying just how nervous and uncomfortable she felt.

The second she stepped over the threshold, all hell broke loose. Without any warning, she was surrounded by dozens and dozens of people who were calling out questions, grabbing her arms or simply staring at her in silence. Caroline tried to break free from the mob, but she couldn't move in any direction, they were beleaguering her so closely. Trying to tell herself that nothing could happen to her, she did her best to remain calm, but the more people gathered and the more they were shouting at her, the closer she came to losing it.

"Now, now," a booming voice sounded over the mayhem, "hadn't there been an agreement that new arrivals weren't to be besieged? Guys, none of you liked being harassed like that, isn't that right? Come on now, leave her alone, she'll give us all the news from the Plane of the Living eventually." Caroline gazed into the direction the oddly familiar voice had come from, but she wasn't able to see the speaker at first. Then, miraculously, the crowd began to gradually disperse, and she could take a look at the man.

"Alaric?" she exclaimed, wide-eyed and incredulous.

"Caroline?" he gasped, the same dumbfounded expression on his face. "What the deuce are you doing here? What happened? Why have you died, and why didn't you go straight on?"

Now everyone had moved back, staring at the two of them. Alaric jerked his head towards the portal. "Let's step outside."

There was a roar of protest from the gathering around them until Alaric's voice drowned the noise again. "If there is anything of interest to everyone that happened on Earth lately, Caroline will tell you all later."

With that, he firmly took her elbow and steered her towards the large gate. Once they had reached the outside, Caroline began to speak, but he just shook his head and led her down the long flight of stairs, across the quadrangle and out of the castle grounds. When they had reached the exterior of the walls, he finally relaxed and even gave her a small, strained smile.

"Sorry about that. They can't hear us outside of the enclosure."

Still shaken, Caroline asked, "Why is everyone staying inside? How come there is no one out here? And by the way, what's with the gong earlier?"

"They cannot leave. Only the Travelers can, the ones who are able to move from one sector to the next. Apparently you are one of them. I can transit between the vampire and human sectors because I died as a vampire and then again as a human. That makes it unclear where I finally belong, which is why I can travel. And the gong only ever sounds once a new arrival from the Plane of the Living crosses the threshold. Caroline, what happened to you? What is going on up there?"

She looked at Alaric and fought the impulse to hug him. For some reason, she had completely forgotten that there might be a chance for her to meet familiar faces on the Other Side. "Can anyone hear us? I mean, not the vampires in the castle, but the Old Witches, Esther or someone of that caliber?" she mumbled, looking around.

Alaric shook his head. "Nope. They can only hear us when they are in this sector, I have checked more than once. Esther doesn't travel much these days, and she never comes to this area – after all, each and every vampire is here because of her, and no one _wants _to be here. The Old Witches never really move around anymore. There are regular 'inspections', if we can call them that, but they always send their lackeys, and those make a rather noisy entrance. After all, there is not much to control in the vampire, werewolf and human sectors. They are more after their own kind, because they are the ones who can do the damage, if at all."

Caroline nodded. "Understood. Okay, Alaric, this is a long story, and I have to ask you a question before I start." She looked at him very intently. "Do you like it here?"

He gave a short, hard laugh. "Are you kidding? Look around! I am one of the lucky few who can move around a little, and I hate every single second of this pathetic existence. Everyone loathes this place. With the exception of one or two of the Old Witches, there is no one here who wouldn't give his or her soul to move on to the Eternal Realm. We're not in hell, Caroline, but we have one foot in the door."

Exhaling, she closed her eyes for a second before the spoke again. "You have heard that I am married to Klaus now?"

"There were rumours, but I didn't believe them. So he forced you to marry him and then he killed you? Is that what happened?"

"No, not even close! I married him because I love him more than anything, Alaric. Many things have happened since you died, there has been a lot of change. Look, do you mind if we moved away from the walls and little more into the open? It makes me nervous to be close to the castle while I tell you everything."

With a quick grin, he replied, "Sure." They began to walk at regular speed when he spoke again, hesitantly this time. "Caroline… how's Elena? And… Damon?"

She gave him a radiant smile that apparently took him off guard. Well, it was quite probable that no one ever smiled around here, and for good reason. "They're both really well, don't worry. They've gotten together quite a while ago, for good, and they are incredibly happy. And… Damon's even become sort of buddies with Klaus."

Alaric's eyes almost bulged out of the sockets. "He's _what?_ Holy crap! I'm gone for little over a year and he's already in league with the devil?" Shaking his head in total disbelief, he gestured around. "All empty. You had better tell me the entire story now."

Caroline took his hand and squeezed it. It felt funny. "Alaric, this is extremely important, and I have to be able to trust you one hundred percent. Can I?"

Covering her hand with his, he nodded. "I know it isn't worth much down here, but I give you my word. Whatever it is will stay between us, and whatever I can do to help you and the others I will be more than ready to do. Remember that I love Elena like my own daughter."

"And you love Damon."

"Oh _please."_

* * *

There was a very long silence after Caroline had told Alaric everything that had happened ever since Prelati had first appeared in Mystic Falls. He looked positively appalled when she had mentioned Bonnie's involvement in the recent events, but she could tell he was glad Elena and Damon were unharmed. When she revealed the details of Marcel's and Bonnie's plan to extinguish the world of the supernatural as it was, he clenched his teeth and balled his fists.

"I mean, I was a hunter, but they are planning genocide. This has nothing to do with any kind of balance."

Caroline raised a brow. "I thought the balance didn't exist, that it was just something the Old Witches have invented to make everyone do their bidding."

Shaking his head, Alaric ran a hand through his hair. "It exists all right. You see, everything in nature has to have its counterpoint to keep it in check. On a very basic level, it is things like good and evil, light and darkness, love and hate, fire and ice. Imagine there was no good to offset the evil, no love to extinguish the hate. It's the same with the supernatural. No one must become so powerful they can change the fate of an entire race, for that would unbalance a vital part of the world. Your Original husband and his family do possess the strength to extinguish mankind, vampires, witches and werewolves, but there are ways to subdue them, to remove them from the equation. It's difficult but not impossible. That's what the balance is about. So what Bonnie and that Marcel guy are planning would completely overthrow our world order, making them the absolute masters over life and death, enabling them to create only the vampires, witches and werewolves they want to create. If at all. Marcel can sire each and every vampire to him. Wow, what a scenario. Reminds me of the good old James Bond villains."

"That's why Klaus is going to stop them."

Alaric looked at her with a very thoughtful expression. "That doesn't quite explain why you've had yourself killed. Okay, breaking the spell Esther put on you, minimizing the risk of your being murdered or used against Klaus, I get that. He can protect you from anything, but it would distract him from the task at hand. Still – why do I have the feeling that this isn't the only reason you're here, Caroline?"

It had to be something this place did to one's intuition, Caroline thought. No one, not even Klaus, not Elijah nor anyone else, had suspected that she had had one other motive to come to the Other Side.

"You're right. I wanted to break the spell that linked me to the Pale Blood bearers, and I want Klaus to be able to focus and not worry about me, yes. But I am also here because of Esther and Mikael. I want to make absolutely sure they'll never try to harm my family again, especially Klaus. And I want them to truly pay for what they did. I have to make sure that they won't just have a cozy retirement in the Eternal Realm once this world is gone. I can't ask you to help me, Alaric, but maybe you can just point me in the right direction for a couple of things."

He stared at her for a while, then a mischievous grin split his face. "What makes you think you can't ask me to help you?"

Caroline shook her head. "This is my business, and I won't drag anyone into it. You hate Klaus and his family, and…"

"You said it yourself – many things have changed. And this is about Elena and Damon as much as it is about you. Caroline, this isn't a competition, but you know that I owe you. I killed your Dad, I tortured you, and I believe it is only fair that I should be the one to be helping you now, not that there is much to be done from here. Besides, the sooner this damn half-world is destroyed and we can all move on to the Eternal Realm, the very much better."

"Alaric, I…"

"Shut up and live with it, no pun intended. Did you have a plan?" he inquired curiously.

Pursing her lips, she considered. It would be beyond reassuring to have someone on her side, someone who knew his way around this plane and understood why she did this. Even if there wasn't much he could actually do, it would make her feel infinitely much better to know he was there. With a quick smile, she accepted. "Not really, as I didn't know what exactly to expect down here. So the question is a) whether there is something like a 'prison' within the Eternal Realm, and b) if so, how I can find out if both Esther and Mikael will end up there with no possibility whatsoever to contact or be contacted by any witches or warlocks on the Plane of the Living."

"And there I thought it would be something nice and simple like getting the Original Witches to build us a little beach resort," Alaric chuckled. "Okay, I'm in. Apart from wanting to help you, it will be a nice distraction from the monotony. Which, by the way, was the reason why they beleaguered you like that earlier. They yearn for every little piece of news from the Plane of the Living, everything that helps alleviate the unbearable boredom. The vampires who are confined to the castle have a few days every other year to return to Earth as ghosts, but other than that, they can never leave, have nothing to do and they see the same faces day in, day out. It's pure torture. Talk to them later, tell them a little about what happened on Earth lately. Whatever you can think of. It will alleviate their minds for a while."

Caroline nodded in agreement, shuddering at the thought of how long many of them had been here already. And… how she wanted to return home. "Of course I will. So, do you have any idea where we can start?"

With a thoughtful expression on his face, Alaric pinched the bridge of his nose. "You said you are able to travel between all six sectors?" She assented. "Good. Rumour has it that there is someone in sector six, where the lost and the damned are incarcerated, who has come to the Other Side from the Eternal Realm, not from the Plane of the Living."

"But that's not possible, is it?" she demanded, her voice cracking with shock. If people could return from the world of the dead after all, then what was the point in all of this? The point in destroying the Other Side at all?

Alaric shrugged. "Generally, no. The man who returned was an extremely powerful werewolf, or so they say. There were three warlocks who worked together to bring him here. One from each plane. Their joint power was strong enough to accomplish the impossible. I don't know why that guy chose to do what he did, but for some reason, he ended up in sector six. Find him."

She pressed the ball of her hand against her forehead. "You said it's just a rumour," she argued.

"You'll find out soon enough that every rumour in this place has some substance to it." His face clouded. "Caroline, the problem with this is that I can't follow you to sector six. I can only move between this one, which is sector three, and the human area, which is sector five. You'll have to go in there alone, and if you think this," he gestured around them, "is a nightmare, then you had better brace for what awaits you in there. It's complete anarchy. Not even the Old Witches' minions inspect the place anymore. Nothing can actually happen to you, but your mind and your heart have to be very, very strong to bear the horrors you might see in there. Do you think you can do it?"

"I have to," she whispered. "Will you show me how to transit between the sectors?"

He put both hands on her shoulders. "Of course I will. It is fairly easy, you just have to concentrate on the sector you want to travel to. If you have a concrete landing point, like this castle, you concentrate on that. As we do not know what sector six looks like and where you need to go, you will arrive at some random point within the area and have to make your way from there." He paused. "You love him very much, don't you?"

Looking him right in the eyes, she nodded firmly. "I died for him, Alaric. I'd do it a hundred times over."

With a sigh, he gave her a brief hug. "Mystic Falls girls. When they fall, they fall harder than any others. Okay, let's get the show on the road. A couple of ground rules first, though. No conversations about any of this within the castle walls or any other solid buildings. Anyone asks how you died, which I doubt, tell them you didn't know that the dagger was covered in White Oak, therefore your death was an accident. You ended up here because you killed a man when you were young and secretly never regretted it. You may encounter people who know you're married to Klaus, so don't deny it. Tell as few lies as possible. These guys all seem to have built-in lie detectors. No one will suspect any sort of conspiracy anyway, so they might not be overly suspicious of you, but be careful anyway. If they ask why you are a Traveler, just tell them Klaus had you spelled as a precaution. Everyone knows he has the means to compel any witch to do his bidding. And most importantly," he added, his face very serious now, "don't go anywhere without telling me, especially not into the witches' sectors, one and two. Look, before you go to sector six – do me a favour and talk to the vampires for a while first, okay?"

Her eyes softened. She felt unspeakably sorry for everyone who had to live, no, _exist,_ in this dreadful place with no distraction, nothing. "Let's go, then," she smiled.

"Caroline?"

"Yes?"

"When you return, tell Damon he's an idiot."

She grinned broadly.

"With the greatest of pleasures, Alaric."


	40. The Sixth Circle of Hell

**Děkuju mnohokrát, Česko! :)**

**Wow, so many reviews since yesterday - simply fantastic! Special thanks to the guest reviewers, as always: Bekki, Anahita20, Marie, Justine, Klaroline, Tricia and the anons. And an additional big smooch to Klaroline for posting the freaking SIX HUNDREDTH review! :)  
**

**Thank you all so very much, and please do keep'em coming! ;)**

**Long chapter again today, which I truly hope you will enjoy. There might be no update tomorrow as I will be travelling, but I'll try to publish the next one as soon as possible.**

**THANK YOU! **

**XX**

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

THE SIXTH CIRCLE OF HELL

_This is Constantine. John Constantine, asshole._

Caroline repeated the words in her head over and over like a mantra ever since she had set foot in sector six because for some reason, she expected movie-like demons to jump at her any minute now. There was no hellfire and no headless creatures were following her around, but other than that, the place was a forsaken purgatory. Tristesse, hopelessness and even a hint of insanity were oozing from every inch of the grounds and floating through what couldn't really be called air. The sensation of doom was literally everywhere. Sector three looked like a tropical island compared to this.

She was standing in the midst of an immense plain of nothing but barren, dark land. It wasn't clear if the little shapes she occasionally discerned in the distance were actual tumbleweed. And… if Keanu Reeves didn't make an appearance, she was sure John Wayne would. The entire scenery was bathed in a strange kind of twilight, casting grayish, fallow shadows all over, and Caroline had no idea whatsoever where they came from. There _was_ nothing that could have produced an actual shadow, no mountains, no trees, no houses. No people. Doing a slow turn, she gazed in all directions very carefully, trying to discern any signs of life, but there were none. There was also no indication as to which way to take, so she finally decided it wouldn't make any difference. She would just leap ahead until she found something, or someone.

The plain seemed to be endless, and there was no change in the desolate scenery. She kept her eyes on the faraway, hazy horizon, desperately hoping to finally catch a glimpse of anything other than wasteland. Losing all sense of time and distance, she jumped on and on, fighting the suffocating sense of hopelessness and despondency that threatened to overwhelm her. This place seemed to pull even the last spark of liveliness from her, and that was one of the greatest dangers on the Other Side – succumbing to gloom and depression, not remembering that there was something more than worth fighting for.

_'My one. My only. I love you always and forever.'_

Caroline stopped mid-jump. It had been _his_ voice! She hadn't just remembered his words, she had _heard_ them somehow! Frantically looking around herself, she still didn't see anything. Shaking her head, she was just about to continue her journey when all of a sudden, she felt a warm glow on her neck, spreading from there throughout her entire system. _The Signum! Oh my God, it's the Signum reminding me why I'm here!_ She touched her fingers to the golden marks in her skin, and they were warm. For the first time ever since she had arrived on the Other Side, she felt actual warmth. Closing her eyes, she stood perfectly still, trying to trap the soft glow inside her. _I love you, Niklaus. And I will return to you!_

When she opened her eyes again, she took a moment to meticulously scan her surroundings. Wait, there! All the way ahead, almost touching the horizon, wasn't that something? A shape? Had her heart still been beating, it would have stopped now, frightened at what awaited her there. Balling her hands into fists, she straightened her back and gathered her courage. It took another very long while until she could discern what the shape was – a shack. A minuscule, rotten-looking hovel, right in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

Her steps slowed as she reached the dwelling. It was windowless, and for the life of her, she wasn't able to tell what material it was made of. It looked like some sort of clay. There was a tiny opening to one side, comparable in size to that of an igloo. She heard no sounds, but she would try anyway.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" she asked cautiously and was greeted by nothing but utter silence. "Hello?"

Clenching her teeth, she knelt down and slowly approached the little inlet. _Nothing can happen to you! Nothing can happen to you! It's Constantine. John Constantine, a…_ She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

The interior of the shack was caked with dirt in a way so indescribable that Caroline knew she would have to invent a new word for it. It looked like a virtual hellhole. In the far corner of the one-room inferno, there was a single piece of furniture, something remotely resembling a bed. On it, a deformed, naked figure was convulsing in spasms, moaning and whimpering more like an animal than an actual person. She assumed it was a man, but she wasn't entirely sure as he or she was layered with the same dirt that dominated the entire hut.

"H… hello?" she choked out, not really hoping to get a reaction out of whoever this was. "Can you… hear me?"

In a lightning-fast motion, the creature was in her face, and now she couldn't help the scream that escaped her.

"Now look at that!" a rusty, scratchy male voice shrieked right next to her. "A little anniversary present for ol' Sawney to celebrate his sixth century?" His voice lowered to a hiss, and Caroline's revulsion exploded when she felt his lips at her ear. "I'd appreciate it, lass, if only I could _make use of it!" _His last words were a roar, and he shoved her away. "But I can't, can I then?" he wailed now, gesturing towards his crotch. Caroline's gaze automatically followed his hand, and she could barely suppress another scream. His member had been cut in half.

_Get your act together, woman! You'll be out of here in a second. Ask him!_

"I… I… " she stammered, not able to form a coherent sentence, staring at the wreck before her. He let out a hollow laugh.

"I… I…" he mimicked in a screechy tone, his head bobbing back and forth. She saw saliva running down his chin. Summoning all her strength, she tried again.

"I'm looking for someone. A werewolf. He came from the Eternal Realm, or so the legends say. Can you tell me where to find him?"

The man gave a cackle that reminded Caroline of a hyena. "Lassie, I ain't seen no one in decades. Go to hell. Oh, too late," he gurgled, "you're already here!"

When took another step in her direction, she flashed out of the shack and ran.

She ran and ran until the hut was out of sight and she could finally get a hold on herself. Still shuddering all over, she just sat down in the middle of nowhere and closed her eyes. She needed an escape, a moment of peace and beauty. Touching her fingers to her temple, she concentrated, and an instant later, she was in the foyer of her Mind Palace. Hearing the little fountain, seeing the light, airy patio, she felt better instantly. Sitting down at the fountain, she inhaled the clean air. There was no time for a lengthy stay, no chance to visit one of the rooms as she didn't want to spend any more time in this sector than absolutely necessary, but it calmed her down to merely be in her Mind Palace for a moment. Her gaze wandered to the door that opened to the memories of her wedding day. Klaus was on it, his beautiful face smiling and happy, his eyes bursting with his feelings for her. Caroline stared at his image for a very long while until she felt serenity settle inside her. Slowly opening her eyes, she got to her feet and decided to just continue in the direction she had already been running.

Gradually, the landscape changed into a rockier but even darker scenery. Hills and crags were now shaping her surroundings, and there was the occasional deformed tree. Everything had an air of sadness and cruelty about it, and Caroline couldn't believe she was actually yearning to return to sector three. All of a sudden, she skidded to a halt at the edge of an abyss. The plain ended abruptly, steeply falling about three to four hundred feet into a valley. Deep down, Caroline detected faint lights, and she supposed it was some sort of… settlement? But how did one descend? The monumental cliff stretched as far as the eye could reach to her right and her left, and there seemed to be no way down. Except one.

_Klaus would have jumped the Perito Moreno. You can jump this._

But there was no water down there. The landing would be very hard, somewhere between rocks and trees… still, she had to get into that valley. Remembering how gravity worked differently here and how she could not be physically harmed, she bit her lip and closed her eyes for moment, sending a silent prayer to no one in particular. And then she jumped.

The fall was endless. She felt as if the darkness was swallowing her, devouring her, somehow pulling her into its realm. For some reason, a memory flashed through her head, a memory of Juanjo in Ushuaia telling her about the hundred-foot-wave he had once encountered. Caroline tried to imagine that she was jumping from the crest of that wave into the trough. The image was no less scary, but at least it was not _dark._ The ground was fast approaching now, and she braced for the impact. Brushing through a couple of trees and grazing a large boulder, she finally hit the bottom of the steep wall and howled in a sudden burst of pain. It was gone as quickly as it had struck her, but it had been there. Remembering Remy explaining that despite the fact that no real physical harm was possible, basic sensations like pain and temperature were still functioning on the Other Side to an extent, she scrambled to her feet and shook off the numbness that had invaded her together with the pain. There were trees around her, firs that looked like they had been taken right from the surroundings of Mount Saint Helen's after its eruption, but she could detect none of the sounds that would usually be heard in a forest, and she assumed that there were no animals on the Other Side. For a brief moment, she wondered whether the werewolves still turned once they died, even though there no longer was a moon.

She began to walk towards the faint lights in the distance, at normal speed this time. The lights were always visible, even through the thickest of undergrowths, like beacons. When she had almost reached them, the forest suddenly parted and gave way to an open space covered in… _black_ grass. And now she could see the source of the lights. It was a village. Little huts were loosely scattered across the grounds, seemingly made of wood as black as the grass they had been built upon. Contrary to the shack of the deranged guy up on the plain, these had windows and regular doors, and they seemed remotely habitable.

The moment she had stepped up to the first hut, the door of another hovel opened to reveal a wild-looking man, at least six foot seven, with a full, unkempt beard and an amazing mane of thick, grey hair. He stared at her like he was having an apparition, his mouth dropping open and his eyes widening in complete stupefaction.

"Hello," Caroline said in a small voice, "I am looking for someone, could you help me?"

His bewilderment seemed to grow immeasurably at the sound of her voice. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a deep baritone when he finally shook off his shock. "You don't belong in this sector, and I can't remember the last time anyone came here voluntarily." _Geez, I'm so lucky that even in hell, everyone speaks English!_

"There is someone I need to find in this sector, someone I have to speak to. I've already asked the guy up on the plain… Sawney, was it? But he didn't seem to know anything."

Now the man's mouth dropped open again. "You spoke to _Sawney?_ That man is completely and utterly demented, and I am honestly surprised that he uttered a word at all. There are many reasons to avoid this sector, and they are all summed up in Sawney, young lady. Who on Earth could you be looking for in our good old den of iniquity?"

"I have heard that there is someone here in this sector who didn't come from the Plane of the Living. He came from the Eternal Realm. A werewolf, and a powerful one, it would seem. I've got to find him. Please, if you know where to look for him, could you tell me? I really need help, otherwise I will never find that guy."

The tall man ran a hand over his beard. Caroline was wondering how he had gotten himself into sector six. He seemed relatively normal, if anyone on the Other Side could be called that at all. "Go and ask Van Tale. You will find him in the last hut over there," he pointed in the direction of a dirty little pathway between the shacks. "If anyone knows, it is him."

With a nod, Caroline gave the man a tentative smile. "Thank you. Look, I know it's none of my business, but… how did you end up here?"

Now the man grinned viciously. "I was a Grand Inquisitor, a lead official during the Spanish Inquisition. The Old Witches decided I had killed a few too many of their kind, especially after using their services every once in a while which had secured me a place on the Other Side as it was, and when I died, they made certain I was immediately confined to this sector, along with the insane and the lunatics. There are only a handful of inhabitants in this area who do not qualify as demented, and most of them are gathered in this village. Well, and this is where I have spent the last five hundred and fifty years, doing nothing, seeing nothing, just… vegetating away, as we all do." He paused. "Young lady, yours is the first light I have seen in centuries. And it will probably be the last for the rest of eternity."

"Maybe," she whispered, "there is a chance that it will not be for eternity. Maybe things change. One day."

He shook his head. "The Other Side would need to be annihilated for anything to change, and that is impossible."

"I've learned that nothing ever is. Thanks for your help." With that, she gave him a quick nod and turned around to quickly walk in the direction the bearded man had indicated. It took her a short while to cross the somber, silent village, and she had the feeling that people were watching her from behind the windows. When she had reached the last hut, she hesitated. Van Tale… the name was ringing a bell, but she wasn't sure at first. Then she remembered – Van Tale was one of the four ancient lines in witchcraft. How did a member of one of those lines end up here, in sector six? Wouldn't he be in sector one or two? Shaking her head, she knocked on the black door. Not even two seconds later, it opened to reveal one of the handsomest faces Caroline had ever seen, and her mouth dropped open. So did his. They had both definitely not expected the sight on the other side of the door.

The warlock was almost as tall as the bearded man had been, with raven-black hair that reached his shoulders, a slender frame and clean-cut features dominated by deep green eyes. He was not as beautiful as Klaus was to her, no one ever would be, but he was pretty damn close where sheer looks were concerned. _What could he possibly have done to have himself banned to this place?_

"If I didn't know better, I would assume I'm hallucinating," he said in a pleasant voice, eyebrows raised, drinking in her face. "You must be a Traveler, woman, there is no way that you could ever belong in this sector."

Caroline nodded, still a little nonplussed. "You're right. I'm actually… trying to find someone, and the tall, bearded guy, the Inquisitor, told me to ask you."

"Did he now?" He scrutinized her very intently, and she thought that she probably shouldn't be surprised. How long had he been down here? "Who are you?" he asked her now, folding his arms across his chest.

Looking him straight in the face, she replied, "My name is Caroline. I'm a vampire, or I was. I need to find the one who came from the Eternal Realm, the werewolf. If the legends have it right. There is something I need to ask him about that world, and as he's the only one who has ever seen it…"

Pursing his lips, Van Tale considered. "So is it boredom you are seeking to relieve? If so, it must be very acute to make you travel to this forsaken hellhole and stir us from our idyllic little existence."

"Maybe it is boredom. Maybe not. But if you can't help me…" She moved away, very slowly, and began to walk back on the path she had come, hoping to God he wouldn't call her bluff. That guy _did_ know something, and she needed his help. When she had almost passed the next two huts, his voice stopped her.

"Wait."

She halted her steps but didn't turn around. There was a long silence before the warlock spoke again. "What is it you need to know about the Eternal Realm?"

"I have to know what it is like. In detail. Call it boredom or curiosity, call it hope, call it whatever you like, but I have my reasons. You don't know me and you have no motivation to help me, I'm well aware of that. I'll find that werewolf eventually, but it will take me very long without your help. And quite honestly, I really don't want to spend more time in this sector than absolutely necessary. No offense," she added, a feeble attempt at a joke she supposed he wouldn't find overly funny. Who would?

"None taken. It is not like I have chosen this place as my primary residence. Well, Caroline, I am a warlock. I was rather powerful in my time. And if there was one thing I have always hated with a passion, it was vampires, with very few exceptions." Her heart sank, and she gave a quick nod, turning around again. "But," he suddenly continued, "there is something about you, something _golden._"

Caroline's breath caught at the word. "Someone once said to me that I was full of light. Maybe a little bit of that is still left, even down here."

Van Tale stared into the distance, and there was something in his eyes, some flicker of emotion. "I knew someone like you once, a very long time ago." Then he shook himself out of the memory, and his gaze focused on her again. "The werewolf is not a myth. He exists, and he is in this sector. He came from the Eternal Realm many centuries ago and to this day, no one knows why. Initially, he arrived in sector four. But after a very short time, he was suddenly sent to us, and once you are assigned to this sector, you can't leave again. It is unclear what happened to him, and he never speaks of it. He attempted to stay with us for a while, as do most of those who have not fallen victim to insanity and dementia. However, he decided to become an eremite, hidden away in the hills beyond the Pits."

"The Pits?"

"Our very own oubliette. That is where we keep those whom no one wants to be reminded of. The sediment of sector six, so to speak."

_It gets worse than Sawney? Wow. Awesome. _

"So how do I get to those hills?" Caroline inquired, silently begging that she would not have to cross those Pits.

The warlock shook his head. "You will never find them on your own. I will take you there. On one condition."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Name it."

"Once you return to your sector, you will tell no one about this village and about the fact that a few of us have built something remotely resembling a community. It is the only permanent settlement in this sector, it is well hidden, but once the Old Witches learn of its existence, it will be destroyed immediately. This is supposed to be the penal colony of the Other Side, and there should be nothing but chaos and anarchy. Your word, or I will see to it that you never find what you are looking for."

"You have my word," Caroline nodded. "I had not planned on mentioning that I have been here at all, but should it be brought up by anyone, I will only tell them about Sawney and the Pits."

Van Tale assented and gestured in the direction of a stretch of especially dark firs. "This way."

"Can I ask you one more question before we leave?"

"Yes."

Clearing her throat, she looked at him cautiously. "Mikael Mikaelson. Do you… know where he is?"

The warlock raised a brow. "As a matter of fact, I do. Please do tell me he is not a friend of yours."

"Most definitely not. A mortal enemy is more accurate."

Van Tale chuckled lightly. "Not in his current state. The spell that has been cast on him has been very thorough. You are aware that most spells end once a person dies, but his is a curse directly linked to the Other Side which is why it remains in place to this day. Would you like to see him, then?"

She could only nod. Without another word, the warlock began to lead the way back through the village until they had reached the outer rim of the little settlement. From there, he took a narrow pathway through the forest, following it for a couple hundred yards. Then he made an abrupt right turn and they walked for another fifty yards until Caroline could make out a tiny den, poorly built and crooked. The warlock silently pointed towards it and let her walk ahead. When she reached it, she heard him.

Mikael Mikaelson, the man who had condemned his innocent young stepson to death, who had hunted her husband and his family mercilessly for a thousand years and who had made her Klaus go through centuries of hate, mistrust and fear, was lying on a primitive cot, his clothes ragged and torn. He was convulsing in agony, thrashing on the little bed, his eyes open but unseeing. Gasping at what was replaying in his head over and over again, he was helplessly exposed to the punishment his family had chosen for him. An eternity of nothing but the ever-recurring images of what he had ordered to be done to little Henrik. And he felt everything Klaus' baby brother had gone through. It was a lugubrious picture, pathetic and tragic, but Caroline did not have it in her to feel sorry for him. Not after seeing what Henrik and Klaus had been exposed to because of this man. With some satisfaction, she noted that there was nothing, absolutely nothing left of the fear-inducing Original who had brought pain to so many. All the more reason to find out whether there was any possibility for him to escape his penance upon the destruction of the Other Side.

Turning to Van Tale, she inclined her head. "Thank you." The warlock cast a last, quick look at Mikael and silently led the way back through the forest and the village. Some more faces were to be seen now, and everyone's eyes were on her. There was nothing to read in those eyes but resignation, hopelessness, despair and agony. With every passing minute she spent on the Other Side, and especially here, Caroline was more and more convinced that it had to be destroyed. How could nature, the balance, God or whatever else tolerate an entire plane to be so overwhelmingly dark and negative, so dismal? She knew there had to be a place for people like Mikael and that it should most definitely not be the French Riviera, but not everyone on the Other Side deserved to be here. Alaric. Rose, whom she had also met inside the castle in sector three. She was one of those who could not travel, and Caroline hadn't failed to see the beginning resignation in her eyes. So many of the vampires were just here for the simple reason of having lived in accordance with their nature. And there were people like Anna's son Anatol, who was trapped in sector two and who had done nothing but experiment with the Black side of magic. This had nothing to do with any kind of balance. It was a terror regime, pure and simple.

The moment they had left the village behind, Van Tale began to leap forward and Caroline followed. Their journey took very long, and during all of that time, there was no sign of any people, none whatsoever. The landscape changed very little until a chain of hills appeared in the distance. A long, black line could be seen at their bottom, and only when they came closer did she understand that it was not a line. It was a canyon.

Measuring his pace, the warlock pointed towards the crevasse. "Those are the Pits. Brace for what you are going to behold, for it will not be pleasant. The canyon is bursting with people, there are hundreds of them, if not thousands, and none of them can escape. Whoever first created the Other Side spelled the Pits for some reason – a prison was not its original purpose, but no one remembers what it was. Be that as it may, once you are inside, you can never escape again. It is the worst kind of hell imaginable. You will see what I am talking about once we reach the edge. Now, there is no other way across than to jump. The Pits are about two hundred yards wide. From a physical standpoint, it is no obstacle. However, the lost souls will see us and attempt to distract us with every means possible. Despite the fact that they are unable to reach us, it is very hard to stay focused once you have first looked inside the canyon. You have to be completely concentrated on your leap, Caroline, otherwise you will not make it."

Fear welled up inside her again, and she clenched her teeth. "Okay, got it. How many… how many people have not made the leap so far?"

Van Tale shrugged. "A few dozen. It is very easy to lose focus."

Advancing towards the canyon, Caroline began to hear noises. There were voices, hundreds and hundreds of voices. It sounded like a gigantic buzz, a crescendo of sounds that reminded her of approaching thunder. When they were only a few yards from the edge, the warlock spoke again. "Take a look. They have to see you before you jump, or otherwise the explosion of noise will catch you mid-leap and you will lose all concentration." He paused. "As I said – it is not an overly charming view."

She nodded and carefully stepped to the rim of the Pits. The sight was so monstrous and macabre that she involuntarily stumbled back.

Beneath her, the crevasse stretched about a hundred and fifty yards into the depth. It was overflowing with people. They were on the ground, on the walls, tumbling over each other… and they no longer looked like human or supernatural beings at all. White faces, gaunt, cadaverous bodies, hazy, maniacal eyes. Everywhere. It was an ocean of creatures so far gone that there was no word for it. Anything reminiscent of sentient beings had long since been erased, and for the first time in her entire existence, the conscious knowledge that there were things so cruel and deranged that death itself paled in comparison settled inside her head. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she stared into the worst nightmare she could ever have imagined. No, she corrected herself, her imagination would never have sufficed for this.

And that was when they saw her.

One of the damned began to shout and point at her frantically. Within seconds, the entire canyon erupted in screams, and Caroline was completely horrified at the scenes that were unfolding down in the Pits. Hundreds of them were now hysterically attempting to climb the walls, sliding back down after only a few yards, tumbling and falling over each other which brought even more rage and frenzy into the masses. They attacked each other, mercilessly stomping on bodies and faces and howling with wrath. Hypnotized, Caroline stared down into hell, unable to tear her eyes from it. She remembered Elijah quoting Nietzsche who had said something about when you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back into you. She had never quite understood that phrase, but she did now. There was a feeling creeping up inside her, telling her that if she continued to look, the abyss would leave its mark on her. With every last ounce of her willpower, she tore her gaze away and took a few steps back.

Van Tale had been watching her attentively, not saying a word. Now he approached her and nodded. "It exudes a cruel fascination which is hard to escape. Do you think you can make it?"

Trembling slightly, Caroline murmured, "I will have to. You go first."

Without another word, the warlock walked back a few yards, unceremoniously began to sprint towards the crevasse and leaped. He flew over the Pits and landed safely way behind the opposing edge.

_I can do this. I've jumped much further than this. _She walked back to the same spot Van Tale had chosen and closed her eyes for an instant, touching her Signum. Feeling the warmth run through her, she raced ahead. A few inches from the edge, she took off and kept her eyes firmly fixed on the landing zone, attempting to completely block out the frantic sounds that swelled beneath her. But she couldn't. It felt like the inhuman voices invaded her every cell, and… something pulled her downwards, making her lose all concentration.

_Hands… as if hands were grabbing my legs… cold, clammy, deadly hands… they are on my feet, my legs… Oh God, I'm not strong enough! I'm weak… so weak… I have to give in! _

_I am a part of them… they are a part of me… I belong down there! I know it! I have to _be_ with them! That's were I belong! _

The lost souls were exerting some sort of gravity, and Caroline almost gave in to the urge to simply let herself be pulled into the abyss. The feeling was nearly irresistible, it overwhelmed and invaded her like few things ever had before. She wanted to be with the lost souls! She wanted to bedown there, be one of them! But the very second she was about to succumb, something happened. There was another flash of warmth, and inside her mind, she saw a pair of bluish-grey eyes. Filled with love, longing and anguish. A beautiful, dark voice whispered a single word.

"Caroline."

_No! These hands aren't real, and I won't let them capture me! Never! I'll come back to you, Niklaus! I belong with you, and I will fight for you! For us!_

Focusing all of her being on nothing but Van Tale who was watching her evenly, she flew ahead and after another brief second, she hit the ground right next to the warlock, unable to help a deep, shaky sigh of relief. She wondered whether her knees were truly shaking or if it was just her mind running amok. How crazy had this been! The voices of the lost souls had been like a siren's call, like the beckoning of a lover. She had almost fallen, for crying out loud! Had it not been for Klaus' lovely voice in her head, she would have… Shaking her head to chase the terrifying thought away and trying not to look back towards the cacophony of screeches and howls, she followed Van Tale who was walking straight uphill.

"You could have told me about the pull they are exerting," she hissed, not quite able to hide a sudden rush of anger.

The warlock just shrugged. "You are strong. I knew you would make it." And without another word, he stalked ahead. _Not much of a talker, are you? _

Upon reaching the top of the little rise, she could finally make out their surroundings. As far as her eyes could see, there were hills. Nothing but black, cragged little mountains of all shapes and sizes, almost fusing with the murky darkness. How was anyone supposed to find their way through this labyrinth? The warlock, however, seemed to know exactly where his path was headed, and so Caroline limited herself to just follow his lead without any questions.

After they had passed the umpteenth hill, they were suddenly facing a steep wall that was soaring perpendicularly into the twilight. It seemed to be smooth and even, but upon closer examination, it turned out to hide a few cave-like openings of different sizes. Van Tale directed his steps towards an inconspicuous gap in the rocks, motioning for Caroline to follow and remain silent.

"Ralph," he called in a low voice. "Can I speak with you?"

For a long while, there were no sounds and Caroline was about to ask Van Tale to try again when at last, steps were approaching. They weren't the shuffles of a broken man. These steps were firm and strong. An instant later, a shadow appeared, followed by a man.

He was tall, sinewy and lean, with hair the shade of wet sand and dark bluish-grey eyes. Caroline frowned, as did the man called Ralph when he saw her.

"Van Tale. It has been a while. I thought you had finally forgotten about me." His eyes darted back to Caroline, carefully scrutinizing her. Apparently, he liked what he saw. "And who is this you brought with you?"

That voice. It was dark, velvety and beautiful, making Caroline close her eyes for a split second when a flash of something raced through her. She knew that voice. It was so familiar, she had heard it so often! But where… She couldn't finish the thought, as the warlock was speaking now.

"This is Caroline. She is a Traveler, and she has a question to ask of you. I assumed you might appreciate some disruption of the monotony, as we all do. So why don't you shed the lone wolf for a little while, Ralph?" he asked calmly.

Raising an eyebrow, the werewolf folded his arms across his chest. _Everything about this guy seems so familiar. And you have learned that there are no coincidences._ "So tell me, Caroline, what can be so important that you voluntarily descend into purgatory to ask it of an old, ragged wolf like myself? I am no one, and there is nothing of interest I could speak to you about."

She took one step towards him and held out her hand. He was too nonplussed not to shake it. "There are a couple of things I need to ask you about… the Eternal Realm. You are the only one who knows what it is like, the only one who has been there. This is really important to me and to my entire family." She looked at him imploringly. "Please."

"And why would I want to tell you about the Eternal Realm? It is not like you will ever be able to move on. Once the Other Side has you in its claws, it will never let you escape. In a situation like that, hope can be fatal. It can unhinge your mind to cling to the belief that there is a way. There is not. So you had better lose that hope very quickly, for your own good."

They stared at each other for a long while and again, Caroline had the distinct feeling that she knew this guy somehow. "I will take my chances. If you are brave enough to take yours and tell me about it."

A wide grin split the werewolf's face, and in that very moment, she understood. _Dimples._ Sand-coloured hair, blue-grey eyes, a dark, melodious voice and _dimples._ No, this was no freaking coincidence. He was just about to say something when she held up a hand and examined his face even more closely. _How have I not seen this at the very first second?_

"My God," she whispered, and a bone-deep chill ran through her, "you're his father! His _real_ father! The werewolf who was killed by Mikael!" Supporting herself on the rocky wall, she couldn't stop staring at Ralph whose grin had disappeared like a shadow in the sun.

"What are you talking about?" he replied mechanically, but it was more than clear that it was just the answer he instinctively gave anyone who dug deeper into the topic.

"Niklaus. I am talking about Niklaus," she breathed, gazing into the pair of eyes that was so similar to her husband's. A quick wave of warmth radiated through her, and all of a sudden, she knew she would see him again. There had always been a little corner inside her that had doubted only the slightest little bit, that had feared something could go wrong, but seeing Ralph's eyes, _Klaus'_ eyes, for some reason gave her the absolute certainty that they would be together again. There was no logic behind that notion, it was just a gut feeling, but it was as clear to her as few things had ever been before.

Ralph had shaken off his bewilderment and narrowed his eyes at her. "So you know him, then?" he demanded, and there was something resembling wistfulness in his voice.

"Rather well, actually. You see," she added with a smile, "I happen to be married to him. My name is Caroline Mikaelson."

Now it was the werewolf who had to seek support, and Van Tale exhaled sharply. Both men gaped at her incredulously. "The Original Hybrid took a wife?" the warlock exclaimed. "And there I thought nothing could ever truly surprise me again." He turned to look at Ralph. "And he is _your_ son? Why have you never told me that?"

"Because it is none of your business," Ralph retorted, then he directed his attention towards Caroline. "We have all heard of what happened to Mikael, but it was a warlock who cast the spell. Was Niklaus involved?"

She nodded. "Believe me, Mikael deserves every minute of suffering. I can't tell you the whole story now, but please take my word for it."

With a chuckle, Ralph inclined his head. "Oh, I was not complaining about Mikael's fate, on the contrary. I would have liked to congratulate my… son. So, if he has married you, Caroline, how is it that you are here? How could he allow you to die? I remember when he was a boy, still human, he was incredibly protective of his siblings, and we know that human traits are enforced once a person turns into a vampire, so I can't imagine anything has changed in that respect."

Had she still been alive, Caroline would have been sure to have blushed now at not being able to tell him the whole story. "It… is complicated. Please, Ralph, will you help me?"

"Quid pro quo," he said with a smile. "I will answer your questions, and you will tell me about Niklaus. Agreed?"

"Agreed. So, first of all – how did you end up here in sector six?" she asked, mostly out of curiosity.

Ralph just shrugged. "Esther. You see, she was the reason I left the Eternal Realm to come here. I wanted to make both of our eternities more bearable by being together. I loved her, back in my living years, but I had to learn the hard way that she did not reciprocate my feelings. While we were still alive, I had been certain that she was trying to hide her emotions because of Mikael. He was a hard, brutal, unforgiving man, and she was seriously afraid of him, which was one of the reasons she sought solace in my arms. Once I set heaven and hell in motion to reach the Other Side in order to be with her, I understood the bitter truth. She simply laughed in my face and in the end she made some sort of deal with the Old Witches to have me confined to sector six. The last thing she said to me before imprisoning me here was that someone had to pay for all of Niklaus' sins, and that she thought it a beautiful equilibrium that for once, the father should atone for the transgressions of the son instead of vice versa. So here I am."

"I will never understand that kind of hate and loathing," Caroline muttered in a small voice. "I'll be happy to tell you all about Niklaus. He has done many things he needs to be sorry for, but you also have reason to be proud of him. I know that I am. But can we… start with the Eternal Realm?"

The werewolf gestured inside the cave. "Why don't we sit down? I like to think that I have not turned into a complete savage."

Both Caroline and Van Tale stepped inside the shady den. For some bizarre reason, the interior of the cave was brighter than the outside, despite the fact that there was no artificial or natural light anywhere. In the far end of the cave, something resembling a bed was visible, although she remembered Remy saying that people needed no sleep and no rest on the Other Side. Well, it was probably habit. For a moment, she wondered how Ralph spent his time. There was nothing to do, absolutely nothing, and she had to briefly close her eyes at the thought of an eternity filled with emptiness. They sat on the ground around what looked like an abandoned fireplace. Caroline looked at Ralph expectantly, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Van Tale was also having a hard time reining in his curiosity, which made her assume that Ralph had apparently never spoken of the Eternal Realm to him. The werewolf cleared his throat and began to speak. Caroline knew it was completely beside the point, but she couldn't stop marveling at the fact that this was her father-in-law.

"The Eternal Realm of the Dead is a very vast plane, larger by far than the Plane of the Living and of course much more extensive than the Other Side. I would go so far as to allege it is actually endless, or at least expanding whenever required. There are different sectors, just like they have them here, but unlike this hellhole, the Eternal Realm offers you the choice of which area you want to be permanently assigned to. The sectors are numerous, and they all have a predominant landscape. There is the sea shore, the mountains, forests, snowy plains, deserts – everything you can find on Earth. Once you reach the Eternal Realm, you choose your preferred surroundings which is where you are based, so to speak. You are, however, free to travel and see your friends and relatives in other areas, although you cannot stay there permanently, and if you do not know where to search, finding your loved ones can be extremely difficult and take aeons. It is a little easier to find those you are related to by blood, though. The predominant feature of all sectors is serenity. Only very few rules are in place, most of them concerning the conservation of peace and tranquility and the interdiction of influencing or manipulating others' minds. Another rule is that when contacted from someone on the Plane of the Living, no details about the Eternal Realm must be divulged in order to keep the knowledge about it from influencing anyone's decisions while still alive. "

Caroline ran a hand through her hair. "So everyone gets to enjoy a peaceful and lovely eternity, no matter what they have done? Is there no sector like this one here? One for those who have done truly unforgivable things?"

With a dimpled smile, Ralph inclined his head. "There is, actually. You see, the Eternal Realm has existed for far longer than the Other Side. It has developed together with the Plane of the Living, although there are some who say it has always been there, even before Earth was born. The Other Side is an artificial construct, created about seven to eight thousand years ago. So there had to be a place for the truly evil, for those lost to perdition, before the Other Side had been constructed to hold those who have sinned, if you will allow me to use that rather unfitting religious term. The doomed place inside the Eternal Realm is called Padma, a separate area which is not accessible to anyone. It is right at the very center of the Eternal Realm, bordering on each and every sector, but it cannot be entered from any of them. Once someone is banned to Padma, they will never leave it again, they can never be reached from the outside, and there is no loophole. None."

"What is it like?"

"I have of course not seen it for myself, but I have spoken to some of those who have been in the Eternal Realm since the beginning of time, when everything was still developing, and back in those days, Padma could apparently still be seen from the outside. It would seem that it is all about cold. Not cold in the way you would imagine – it is not your surroundings that are freezing, but the cold is anchored inside you. You will never feel warm or comfortable again, and wherever you move inside Padma, you cannot escape the chill. In addition to that, whatever it is that qualifies a person for Padma will be dominating their existence for all of eternity. Physical violence, mental cruelty, hate, vice… you name it. And they will have surrepetitious visions of everything that has ever frightened, pained or depressed them. Everything they have hidden away in the deepest corners of their minds and hearts. Each time those visions seem to mellow and subside for a brief while, they will come back all the more forceful, bringing the person in question to the brink of insanity. These visions are not permanent, but after each pause, they return when least expected. However, no one ever truly turns insane. They only have to live with the undying fear that it can happen at any given moment. Together with the cold and the visions, it makes for a rather compelling hell, would you not agree?"

Caroline was silent. So there was indeed a place for people like Mikael, Esther, Prelati and Gilles de Rais – who was probably somewhere in sector five – and there was no escape from it. That was good news, and she was absolutely certain that Esther knew nothing about Padma, otherwise she would never want the Other Side destroyed. Still, there was a variable.

"Who is it that makes the decision about the ones that have to go to Padma? Who is the judge?"

Smiling, Ralph answered, "That is a very good question, and the answer is as simple as it is unsettling: Nature."

Her eyes widened at that. No rulers, no deities, nothing? Just _nature?_ "But nature is not a sentient being, it has no intelligence, no conscious mind. How can it decide, then?" she demanded, frowning.

"It is relatively easy – each and every one of us has a nature we are born with. During our lives, we add to the basic fundament by the choices we make. They are defined by our nature, but they also define _it._ Once we pass into the Eternal Realm, this nature that originally created us and to which we have added with our actions and thoughts will place us exactly where we belong. Inside our outside Padma. There is no way anyone, not even the most powerful witch or warlock, can influence the original nature of a person, or what they have turned into during their lifetime, therefore there is not a spell in either of the three worlds that can keep a condemned man or woman from being sent to Padma, if that is what you are asking yourself."

"And neither is there a way to make sure someone does indeed end up there if their basic nature and what they made of it does not qualify them for it," Caroline remarked, not sure whether she liked that one variable in the Esther-and-Mikael equation. Then again, if anyone qualified for the cold hell, it was those two.

Ralph acquiesced. "Exactly."

With a thoughtful expression, Caroline went on. "So there is no way to escape Padma. How about the Eternal Realm itself? I mean, you came to the Other Side, and people can be resuscitated for some time. So there is a way to get back from there. How did you do it?"

"In my case, there needed to be three warlocks, one on each plane, to help me. In the Eternal Realm, magic does only work to an extremely limited extent. It is the same here, but as the Other Side is closer to the Plane of the Living, it is a little more effective. However, the warlock on Earth had to be the strongest, as his portion of the spell had to be the most powerful. All three of them had to adhere to an impeccable timing, and they succeeded. It was a once-in-a-lifetime piece of magic, which is why I am still the only one who ever managed to accomplish the journey from the Eternal Realm to the Other Side – not that anyone else would even think about coming here if they can help it at all. And I am immensely grateful not to have been a resident of Padma. In that case, no magic would have been strong enough to get me out of there. It is less complex to transition from the Other Side to the Plane of the Living, but your stay on Earth is limited after you have been resuscitated."

Van Tale, who had been silent during their exchange, shook his head now. "Not anymore. I have heard from one of my living relations that a Bennett witch very recently enhanced that spell to make the resuscitation permanent. Yes, they can actually contact me here in sector six," he noted at Caroline's questioning gaze. "Not even the Old Witches can impede a warlock's or a witch's contact to someone of their own bloodline, even after having been sent to this hellhole. It is the one thing that keeps me from going insane down here."

Feeling Ralph's eyes on her, she turned to look at him. "Why is it so important for you to know all of this, Caroline?" he asked, his voice gentle. "I am sorry, but I do not think Niklaus will be a candidate for the Eternal Realm should he ever die. It would be the Other Side for him, most definitely."

_Which will no longer be in existence if he ever dies. And I will make sure his choices going forward will be such that he is never in danger of having to be confined to Padma. His nature is not evil, despite everything he has done. He loves so intensively, he cares so deeply about his loved ones and he would give his life for each and every one of them. He has eternity to prove it. _

"It is… well, I am worried about some friends and family members up there. And about Niklaus, of course. There is not much I can do for them, but I want them to know as much as there is to know about what to expect both here and in the Eternal Realm." _Sorry about the little white lie, Ralph. But I am sure you will not be unhappy about it once we succeed._

The werewolf nodded. "Will you… tell me about Niklaus now? What he is truly like?"

With a genuine smile, Caroline nodded. Leaning against the wall of the cave, she began to speak. Her voice turned soft and silken as she talked of her man, and her feelings seemed to flow out of her every pore, making her Signum send wonderfully warm, soothing waves through her entire system.


	41. All War is Deception

**Shumë të falemnderit, Shqipëria! :)**

**Today's special thanks go to the Anons, Anahita20, Marie, Justine, Bekki and Klaroline! :)**

**Back to see what Klaus is doing... looks like he is keeping it together this time... ;)**

**Enjoy, and keep the lovely reviews coming pleeeease! :)**

**Happy weekend!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

ALL WAR IS DECEPTION

Klaus pushed the door to Remy's wide open and stepped into the shady bar. It was crowded, mainly with vampires, and as he had expected, all conversations died down the second everyone recognized him. He did not look at anyone, but his covert glances scanned the entire room very meticulously, assessing who was and was not there, who was an ally and who was an enemy. He doubted it would come to open animosities in here, but he preferred never to underestimate a situation.

_Two of the vampires on the God-Gifted list. Enemies. Half a dozen turncoats, easily killed if need be. Three at the back table who hate Marcel and will side with us, another eight whose allegiance is unclear. One witch, one warlock. Can take down the entire bar in less than one minute. Good._

Directing his steps to the bar counter, he knew he had to be cautious. He could not openly challenge Marcel or kill any of his cronies for the time being, not if he wanted the plan to work, although he felt the overwhelming urge to bring pain, fear and agony over his former protégé for having forced him to be without his woman and for even considering defying him. But they needed Bonnie to get her hands on the Original Grimoire. She had to believe that she required an Original Witch in order to identify the Pale Blood that could kill them all, and she needed to find out about the Pale Blood in the first place. It made Klaus utterly uncomfortable to have someone outside of the family in the know about it, but it could not be helped if their plan was to succeed, and the men who were shadowing the two humans in question would notify him of anyone out of the ordinary who appeared within their immediate surroundings. The one variable in the equation was whether Bonnie was indeed going to choose Davina as the candidate to be turned into an Original Witch, but as far as they all knew, the young woman was the only one of her kind Bonnie had had any contact with at all, so it was highly probable. Klaus had added the one ingredient he had omitted from the potion required to create Original Witches and Warlocks to his forged copy of the Original Grimoire. The Bennett witch had to be able to create one, but not on his life would he ever divulge the last ingredient necessary to create Original Vampires or Werewolves.

Remy was staring at him from behind the bar, feigning surprise at his return, as had been agreed. "Klaus," he said in a neutral tone, inclining his head. "You have returned. I thought you might stay away longer… searching."

"My domestic situation is none of your damn business, much as you may wish it were otherwise," Klaus snapped deliberately harshly. "Give me a Lagavulin and tell me what you know of Kol's disappearance. I need to find him, and I can't imagine he has just gone off on a random killing spree. We would have heard about that by now. Speak."

With ostentatious reluctance, Remy told him about the last time he had seen Kol and about some made-up rumours he had allegedly heard in that respect. Klaus gave a conspicuous display of impatience when he snarled at the Spaniard again. "You know more than this, Remy, and I am tired of your so-called neutrality. So you either tell me everything, or you will find your bar in shambles in a matter of seconds."

That caused a subdued stir among the other patrons. A few of them left, not keen to be thrown into the path of an Original tantrum, but the two vampires he had identified as part of Marcel's inner circle were diligently typing texts, no doubt informing their master of Klaus' return and his eagerness to find Kol. In the end, he had decided against playing the broken man in front of Marcel; he had no doubt he would have succeeded in making his former protégé believe he had indeed lost all will to live, but he needed to put up a decent resistance when bargaining over the book. It might not make Marcel suspicious, but it would certainly alert Bonnie once she learned of it, and he had no desire to waste any more time than absolutely necessary. Instead, he had agreed with Remy that they would get into a dispute which was to be drawn out until Marcel made an appearance. Noticing that Remy had also seen the two men texting, he folded his arms across his chest and glared at the bartender who deliberately rolled his eyes.

"Holy crap, Klaus, would you please stop being paranoid? Do you seriously believe that if anyone was involved in Kol's disappearance, they would openly discuss it in my bar?" he hissed at the Original.

"And do you seriously believe that I am foolish enough to think that this place is your only source of information? Remy, I have been more than patient with that little Switzerland whim of yours, but when it comes to my family, the fun ends. I have already lost my wife," he lowered his voice to a whisper he knew everyone could still hear, "and I am most definitely not losing another family member. So you had better answer me, mate."

They continued to argue, with Remy divulging little pieces of fake information here and there in order not to force Klaus to actually destroy his bar as he had threatened. They had discussed their modus operandi beforehand, and they worked well together. After a while, just when their argument seemed to be heating up again, Klaus heard the door open and saw Remy make an almost indiscernible motion with his hand, confirming that it was indeed Marcel who had just entered the bar. He didn't turn around but continued to snap at the bartender until he felt Marcel slide onto the bar stool next to him and slap him on the shoulder. It took Klaus an enormous amount of restraint not to give in to the impulse to break the younger vampire's hand. And his arm. And every bone in his body.

"Man, it's good to have you back," Marcel exclaimed with false cheerfulness, then he lowered his voice. "I'm really sorry to hear that your wife and your brother have gone missing, Klaus. But maybe I can help. After all, that's what friends are for, isn't that right?"

Klaus' eyes narrowed as he turned to face this former protégé. "So you know something then, _friend?"_ he asked tonelessly, letting a mixture of suspicion and hope enter his eyes.

Inclining his head, Marcel grabbed a handful of peanuts from the small bowl on the counter and popped them into his mouth. "I might. Or I might not. It depends on whether we agree on the terms my help comes with. Nothing is for free, which is what you taught me a long time ago, not even between friends."

With a lopsided snicker, Klaus nodded. "Especially not between friends." Then he turned around to face the room. "Leave," he commanded the remaining patrons. "All of you."

He could see the envy in Marcel's face at how everyone simply obeyed his quiet order without question. The two lackeys who had texted Marcel earlier hesitated for a split second, but then they, too, left. Klaus turned back around and looked at the bartender.

"You, too."

As discussed, Remy put up some resistance, seemingly reluctant to leave the bar, until after a few minutes, he flashed outside and smashed the door shut behind him. Klaus took another sip of his Scotch before he faced Marcel who was watching him closely.

"I want proof that you know of Caroline's and Kol's whereabouts."

"Kol has crossed me, and as you are well aware, I do not take kindly to the ones who openly defy my position. You were he one who taught me that as well. Be that as it may, he is hidden at a place I will name to you once you have fulfilled your side of the bargain. As for Caroline, I do not know where she is at present, but I have the means to find her."

Klaus shook his head. "Not good enough. Whatever it is you want from me, do you seriously believe I will give it up without any evidence that you do in fact know what you claim to ken? I would have expected more of you, lad." He knew that his deliberately condescending tone would get Marcel's back up immediately. It was the one thing the younger vampire had never been able to overcome – his loathing of being perceived as inferior.

Clenching his teeth, Marcel replied, "Well then, how about this – I will give you a token of my goodwill today. I will tell you where Kol is, and once you have given me what I want, I will let you know how to get there and what needs to be done to retrieve him. And what you need to do in order to track down your wife."

With a quick, hard laugh, Klaus downed the contents of his glass and rose. "I can see we will not reach agreement. It has been most entertaining, Marcel, but I hope you do not mind that I will be on my way now."

When he had almost reached the door, he heard Marcel's voice. "Wait." Slowly turning around, he cocked his head and silently looked at the other vampire. "All right, then. I will offer you something in addition. I own two White Oak stakes, and I am prepared to give you one of them, plus the information you require."

Deeply satisfied at the direction the conversation had taken, Klaus let a flash of shock cross his features. It was one of the moments when he was grateful for not having let anyone get too close to him over an entire millennium. The only person in the world who knew how utterly brilliant an actor he really was, was his older brother.

"There is no White Oak left. Come up with a better bluff," he scoffed after a moment of deliberate hesitation, turning towards the exit again.

"It is thanks to a great warlock named Francesco Prelati that this is not quite true," Marcel retorted, and Klaus smiled inwardly before he faced his opponent anew.

"A name you just picked up somewhere, mate. A name that means nothing to you and that you are bringing into a game you know you are losing."

The younger vampire sneered, grabbed a random bottle from behind the counter and took a large swig of what smelled like Armagnac, inclinging his head appreciatively at its taste. For a short moment, a quick and unexpected rush of regret gripped Klaus. He had pulled Marcel out of the literal gutter, he had taught him manners, taste – to a point – and everything the boy knew. The years they had spent together had been good years, and as Caroline had correctly pointed out, he had not only liked Marcel because he had been an entertaining project. He had been a companion, a comrade, and they had shared a wide array of interests. It had been _fun, _and he had not had that much true fun over the centuries. With an inward sigh, he resigned himself to something he had learned the hard way, and more than once – loyalty was a very rare good indeed.

"Prelati handed me the stakes before he went to seek you out in France last year. He cut them from the invisible original White Oak your family destroyed. Is that proof enough? I will hand you one of the stakes, but you will understand my reasons for keeping the other. It might be available for bargain at some later stage."

Klaus looked at Marcel and feigned thoughtfulness. "What is it you want?" he finally asked, wariness in his voice.

"The book."

Letting another quick instant of shock race over his features, he gave his voice a subdued tremor when he answered. "What book? First print of the Gutenberg Bible? Shakespeare's First Folio? The Codex of Leicester? Audubon's Birds of America? Please, mate. You can steal each and every one of those yourself, although I have to admit to a certain surprise that it is a book you desire. Be that as it may, wasn't it also me who taught you how to take what you want?"

He could see in Marcel's face that the younger man fell for his mock anxiety. "You know perfectly well which book I am talking about. The Original Grimoire. The book that contains the instruction on how to create Original Vampires, Witches and the like. That is my price for the stake, your brother and your wife. And stop pretending you don't know what I am talking about, man. It will save us both a considerable amount of time."

Klaus had to give it to the lad – he was bluffing rather well, feigning to be able to find out Caroline's whereabouts and saying there were only two stakes in order to retain the other two for… emergencies. Very slowly, he walked back towards the counter, grabbing the bottle of Armagnac and pouring some of the contents into his now empty Lagavulin glass. Then he sat and stared into the void for a long while. Marcel did not move or speak, nor did he give any indication of impatience.

"Assuming that something like that Grimoire does indeed exist, what makes you think that I know where to find it?" Klaus asked, carefully letting uncertainty simmer through his voice.

Marcel smiled benignly. "Let's just say that I made it my business to know. You are of course aware that most of the witches in and around this town answer to me, and once I hear an interesting rumour, there is always someone available to verify it. With the Other Side, for example."

Now Klaus made a completely nonplussed face, seemingly taken aback by Marcel's knowledge of the book and his position of power among the witches of New Orleans. His urge to tear the younger vampire apart had dissolved into the quiet, deadly satisfaction of knowing that his former protégé would not live to enjoy the fruits of his scheme. Then he ran a slightly trembling hand through his hair and bit his lip. "Both of the stakes, and you will tell me exactly where Kol is and what precisely it is that I have to do to find Caroline. And you will tell me ahead of bringing the stakes to me."

"One stake, and I will tell you where Kol is and the basic information on what needs to be done to track Caroline. The detailed instruction for the spell I will give you once I see the book."

With a lopsided grin and a shrug, Klaus leaned against the counter. "Fine. No deal."

The silence stretched on for a very long time. Klaus placidly finished his drink and poured himself another glass, making a mental note to eventually ask Remy where he purchased this Armagnac. It was sublime. He knew Marcel was trying to find a way out of the bargain without completely losing face. The younger man would have to give in eventually, as they desperately wanted that book, but his pride forbade him to agree to Klaus' terms without any concessions from the Original. Well, he would have to in the end.

His jaw set, Marcel finally acquiesced. "All right. Both stakes. Where is the book?"

"How do I find Caroline and where is Kol?"

Klaus had to refrain from grinning at the sight of Marcel balling his fists. But it would seem that the Bennett witch had instructed him to get the book at any price. Gritting his teeth, he hissed, "Kol is at Black Witches' Alley. In order to track your wife, you will have to find a witch to perform a Vestigium Spell. Only very few witches are powerful enough to accomplish it, and there are only a handful of them who know how to compose the spell."

Nodding, Klaus said, "Very well. I do have the book and I will hand it to you. We will meet at the pergola of the little park right across City Hall, in thirty minutes. Alone. If I see any of your flunkies or other unsolicited onlookers, the deal is off and you will be dead."

Without another word, Marcel slid off the stool and left the bar. Klaus smiled at himself and calmly sipped the rest of his Armagnac. A few seconds later, Remy returned, quite obviously relieved at finding his bar intact.

"Did he swallow it?" he asked, indignantly grabbing the bottle and taking it with him behind the counter.

"I believe so," Klaus replied. He pulled out his phone and composed a quick text. "I will have Davina spell your door so Marcel will no longer be able to enter this place. If any of his lackeys return, treat them like everyone else. Actually… is that little cave underneath your cellar still intact?"

With big eyes, Remy stared at him. "How do you know about that cave? You have never even been down to my cellars, let alone that cave!"

Chuckling, Klaus sipped his drink. "Pray recall that I actually _built_ this part of town. There is no hidden cellar, no subterranean path I am not aware of. So, is it still untouched?"

"As a matter of fact, it is. Why are you asking?"

"Do me a favour, mate. Get some cement and a suitable number of bricks and store everything down there. I will tell you in due course what I require it for."

Remy shook his head. "It would definitely help if you put some trust in me, Klaus. You know I am rather reluctant about this whole story, and…"

"In the end, mate," Klaus interrupted, his voice strained now, "you will not be doing this for me. You will be doing it for Caroline. I know you have a weakness for her, to a far greater extent than you should, and this is one of the reasons why I am asking this of you. Furthermore, you will be glad to hear that I have no intention of ripping off your head over your infatuation with my wife. Not that I haven't considered it, but it would not make any difference. She will never reciprocate your feelings, Remy. It took me long enough to realize, but I have finally understood that Caroline loves me almost as insanely as I love her, and no one else will ever be able to lead either of us astray."

Taking a deep breath, Remy grabbed a glass and poured himself a generous helping of Armagnac.

"I know that. I knew it the very moment she handed me her rings. The pain in her eyes when she took a last look at them, the crack in her voice when she asked me to tell Elijah to watch over you…" He took a sip of his drink, and for a nanosecond, Klaus almost felt sorry for him. Almost, but not quite. "Listen, Klaus, I never had any intention to act on it. You were the one who gave me this life, you have always dealt fairly with me. You could have revoked my neutrality in the blink of an eye, forcing me onto your side, but you never did. Even in this current situation, you gave me a choice. I would never have betrayed your decency towards me by attempting to make a move on your wife. I do hope you know that."

They looked at each other for a long moment, and Klaus suddenly sensed that Remy _was_ a friend after all. Not in the way Stefan or – heaven help him – even Damon was, but a friend of sorts. He had been for a long while.

"Yes, I know that." He rose from the stool and gave Remy a brief smile before he turned to leave. "I will keep you updated. Thanks, mate."

"Klaus?"

He turned to see the Spaniard holding up the almost empty bottle. "This one goes on your tab. I may have chosen your side, but that does not imply you are drinking for free from now own. You drinking habits would ruin me within the week."

With a chuckle, Klaus shook his head. "Bloody skinflint."

* * *

The small park across City Hall was relatively busy when Klaus arrived twenty minutes later. He did not really care whether Marcel's minions were around, it had actually just been an empty threat to make him sound more serious and determined about their would-be deal. He knew that Elijah was here, hidden within a group of large trees to his right, all but invisible to anyone not as attuned to his presence as Klaus was. Neither of them would ever be seen if they did not want to, and even if they had not expressly agreed on his older brother joining the encounter, Klaus had not had a single doubt that Elijah would be there. He liked it, and not because he was insecure or doubtful about his dealings with Marcel – he liked it because of the feeling of solidarity it gave him. His family was behind him each step of the way, and that was still so new to him it made him marvel over and over again every time it happened.

Sitting down on a bench next to the pergola, Klaus stretched out his legs and closed his eyes for a second. He did not want to think about Caroline right now as he needed to focus, but he was defenseless against the strong rush of longing that gripped him. Knowing that she was a world away felt like being sliced open and left bleeding. He wanted to feel her warm, familiar body against his, he wanted to hold her and see the happy smile on her face when he told her how much he loved her. Gods, how he missed his girl! Just when he was about to tear his eyes open and brace for the upcoming encounter, he felt a wave of warmth float through his body, coming from… his Signum. With a start, he sat up straight, and it was all he could do not to give in to the urge to touch the golden mark. It was sending the same kind of feeling through him that always took hold of his entire being when Caroline was nestled in his arms, entrusting herself to him completely, making him wildly happy and filling him up with the incomparable sensation of being loved so very deeply. The warmth gave him strength. It told him that their bond was alive, healthy and rock-solid. They would be together again, for they were meant to be. Two halves of the whole. Opening his eyes, he could not help a small smile which he suppressed immediately at feeling vampire presence.

Marcel was approaching with his usual hauteur, and for once, it did not even bother Klaus. He just looked at the younger man evenly and raised an eyebrow. "You are late."

Shrugging, his former protégé sat down next to him on the bench. "Do you have the book?"

"Do you have the stakes?"

"In my jacket."

"As the book is in mine." He opened his jacket to show Marcel the Grimoire which was hidden inside. His forgery was an almost exact copy of the original document, minus the stanza about the destruction of the Other Side which he had removed. Klaus had spent some more sleepless nights adapting the manuscript in such a way that it would make it easy for Bonnie to find out about the Pale Blood, and it listed a virginal Original Witch as the only person capable of locating the Pale Blood bearers. He had added the one missing ingredient to the potion required for the creation of Original Witches, but the missing ingredients for Original Vampires and Werewolves were still omitted. No one except Klaus knew what they were, and no one ever would.

"So how do you want to do this?" Marcel asked.

Cocking his head, Klaus gestured towards the younger vampire. "First, you tell me how to compose the spell to track Caroline and how to find Black Witches' Alley. Then we will exchange the book and the stakes simultaneously."

With a quick laugh, Marcel shook his head. "Come on, man. You're much faster than I am. What would stop you from just grabbing the stakes and keeping the Grimoire?"

Klaus rolled his eyes in honest exasperation. "My dear boy, I could have overpowered you every minute of every day had that been my intention. But if you care to remember, I am a man of my word. We struck a bargain, and I intend to honour my end of it. Whatever may have happened, we used to be friends and I have not forgotten that, mate. But you are very well aware that there are never any guarantees, so you will have to take my word for it. Or otherwise – no deal, as I believe I already pointed out earlier today. Take it or leave it."

It was very clear that Marcel did not like the proposal, but it was just as obvious that he did not have a better idea. He gave a curt nod and pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. "This is the composition of the Vestigium Spell to track down your wife. Give it to a witch, a powerful one, and have her execute it."

Pretending to study the little sheet, Klaus laughed inwardly. Pathetic. Even someone only remotely acquainted with the ways of magic would immediately see that this so-called spell was good for nothing. A dummy. Visual effects but no substance. He felt almost insulted at how blatantly Marcel seemed to be underestimating him when he should know better. But his decades of being in the driver's seat in New Orleans had quite obviously weakened his instincts – and his memory. Klaus nodded and folded the sheet, stowing it in the pocket of his denims.

"Where is Black Witches' Alley located?" he asked sharply, scrutinizing Marcel's face, feigning to be examining the younger man's features for hints of deception.

"The Everglades." Marcel proceeded to give Klaus a lengthy description of how to find the place, quite clearly intent on sending him on an odyssey through the swamps, judging by the way he explained a false route and gave him a fantasy instruction on how to access the cave and where exactly it was located. Had Black Witches' Alley not been known, he would probably have sent Klaus to Northern Siberia on the search for Kol, but as it was, too many people knew that it was located within the Everglades, so Marcel had to assume that Klaus would find out very quickly if he lied about its general whereabouts. However, Bonnie needed time to work with the Original Grimoire, and Klaus supposed they wanted him gone for as long as possible so she could work in peace before they would finally close in on him and his family. When his former protégé was done, Klaus pulled the book out of his jacket. At the same time, Marcel produced the two stakes. The invisibility spell had been lifted, and Klaus had to stifle a chuckle at how Davina had managed to spell the stakes to truly look like White Oak. There was absolutely no discernible difference.

He held out both hands to Marcel, the Grimoire in one and the other reaching for the stakes. In a fast motion, the younger vampire had handed Klaus the stakes and grabbed the book. There was an undeniable gleam of triumph in Marcel's eyes as he grinned.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, man. Good luck in finding your family." Without further ado, he flashed off. Not five seconds later, Klaus felt another rush of air behind him.

"It would seem this former project of yours failed spectacularly, Niklaus. Had you educated him properly, young Marcel would never have turned out to be so gullible," Elijah remarked dryly.

Throwing one of the stakes up in the air, Klaus snickered. "What makes you think my educational efforts failed, brother? You did not seriously believe I would ever have let him in on who I truly am, did you?"

For the sake of any onlookers, they made a show of burning the stakes and had a loud and lengthy discussion about who would join Klaus' search party to the Everglades. Once they had reached the mansion, Klaus closed the door behind him and leaned against it while his older brother scrutinized him carefully.

"How are you holding up, Niklaus?"

With a sigh, Klaus pressed the ball of his hand against his forehead before looking at Elijah. It was not often that he truly admitted to a weakness, but somehow, he had the feeling that they were way beyond awkwardness and any sort of shame. Maybe they had always been, he had just never realized it. "I am coping, but barely. I miss her, Elijah. Every fiber of my being longs for her, and I cannot even put into words how much it costs me to retain my sanity. I know I will see her again eventually, but we need to put an end to all of this, and fast."

The older Mikaelson nodded. Then he took a step towards Klaus and put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me, little brother. There are so many hidden traits of yours that have resurfaced ever since you and Caroline first became involved. I see more and more of the man you were before circumstances made you who you have become over the centuries, and I cannot express my amazement and delight at this unexpected development. But there are two qualities you possess in abundance which you will need to rely on now – patience and strength. Be the soldier for a little while longer, and I will give you my word that once everything is done, you will have to dedicate yourself to nothing but making your wife happy. For as long as you require me to, I will oversee things, and should you wish to return, I will gladly step aside. Trust me, Niklaus. Everything will be just fine."

Klaus bit his lip and nodded. When his brother was about to leave, he muttered, "Lijah."

His sibling turned around in astonishment. Klaus knew that after they had been turned, he had never again called his brother by the nickname he and his younger siblings had bestowed upon him as children.

"I…" He shook his head at how difficult it still was for him to express his feelings to anyone other than Caroline. "I do trust you."

It was always a spectacle to see Elijah Mikaelson speechless.


	42. The General's Way

**:) !**بەت بەت شکریہ پاکستان

**Apologies, Pakistan, if I got the above wrong ****in Urdu****! **

**My dearest guest reviewers, you have been so wonderful once again - thank you to the Anons, Marie, Bekki, Anahita20, Justine and Klarolinealways (also for reviewing Dungeons! :))!**

**All of you, I hope you're having a great weekend, and please enjoy today's chapter!**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH, LOVELIES! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY

THE GENERAL'S WAY

Several days later, Klaus' patience had begun to wear thin. He knew Bonnie could not be forced into choosing Davina as the one she would turn into an Original Witch, but the wait was draining him. He wanted to put an end to Marcel's and Bonnie's ridiculous scheme to rule the world, and more than anything, he needed his Caroline back. He was mostly confined to the house as he had to keep up the pretense of having gone off to Florida to find Kol and could therefore not be seen in New Orleans. However, what got to him the most was the fact that he had no way of knowing how Caroline was doing on the Other Side. Before she had died, Remy had explained to them that apparently the Old Witches had a way of knowing when someone from the Plane of the Living contacted an inhabitant of the Other Side. They could not actually listen in, but they knew, and they had decided that it was best not to draw any attention whatsoever to Caroline.

He was sitting in the study, a thick volume on the Romanov dynasty on his lap, attempting to distract himself by counting the historical inaccuracies. His eyebrows rose when he reached the chapter on Ivan VI, who had been proclaimed tsar as an infant, was then overthrown and incarcerated when he had been but one year old and kept in isolation for the remainder of his twenty-three years. According to the records and to each and every history book, Ivan had been murdered in prison, the order allegedly given by Catherine the Great out of fear for her position of power. Shaking his head, Klaus smiled. He knew the truth behind the story. Ivan, weakened by his decades of imprisonment, had never learned to speak properly, and his mind had withered away almost to the point of dementia. He might have been the legitimate heir to the Russian throne, but he would never have been able to lead a regular life, let alone rule an empire. By no means could he have threatened Catherine who had been an outrageously intelligent woman. She was absolutely aware of the fact that the boy himself did not represent any danger, but certain groups could use what they perceived his legal rights to the throne to foment an insurrection. One night, all the guards at Schlüsselburg, were Ivan was kept, had been ordered to leave the castle. Dressed as a foot soldier, Catherine had visited the prisoner to get a clearer picture of what she was dealing with. She had been a hard, unforgiving, ruthless woman, but the pitiful young man she saw had touched her somehow. In a cloak-and-dagger operation, her lover, Grigorij Orlov, replaced Ivan with a nameless inmate from another prison and had him deported to an isolated monastery in Eastern Siberia where he spent the rest of his life in relative peace and freedom. No one, not even Ivan himself, ever learned who he really was. The exchange prisoner had been killed in Schlüsselburg during a failed attempt to free Ivan, fooling history into believing it had been the former emperor who had been murdered. Catherine had told him the story one night, in her bed, and Klaus remembered asking her why she had done what she did. Her answer had been short and simple. _'No one should have to die without having seen the sun at least once in his life.'_

Closing his eyes, he leaned back into the chair, thinking about the multitudes of people he had encountered over the course of his lifetime who had never seen the sun, and not only in the literal sense of the word. There had been so many who had endured a fate similar to or worse than Ivan's. He had never really cared, and he still didn't, but sometimes he remembered them. The peasants who had never smiled because they could not find a single reason to. The prisoners thrown into the deepest pits of the most grueling dungeons, only to be forgotten. The women in rotten, sordid streets and run-down houses everywhere in the world who had learned to sell themselves before their ages had reached double-digit numbers. His own brother Finn whom he had confined to a coffin for nine hundred years because he had been a danger to their family.

Klaus wondered what Caroline would encounter down there on the Other Side. He had not had more than a glimpse the one time he had been shown a minuscule piece of the half-world, but it had certainly not been reassuring, and he was positive that there were many down there who had never seen the sun, either. He had told her that whatever the circumstances, she was not to enter the sixth sector both Jemima and Remy had spoken of. He did not want her to see the world at its worst. Having witnessed enough of torture, pain and suffering in her few years on Earth, Caroline should not have to experience more of that. He remembered how one night, back in Mystic Falls, she had asked him what – apart from the torture inflicted on his baby brother – had been the worst thing he had ever seen. He had refused to answer the question. There was no way he would ever allow any images of all the depravities he had known to settle inside her head. Back in Rome, he had told her about how he was able to point her to at least five doors within a one-mile radius behind which she would find cruelties so indescribable she would lose every last ounce of belief over them. And he had not exaggerated. No film, no book and no painting were imaginative enough to describe the things he had witnessed. He had been in search of ever greater cruelty for centuries, and he had found it in abundance and to an extent he himself would never have been able to envisage. One or two films might have come close in recent years, but the fantasy of those who depicted the atrocities could never match that of the ones who committed them.

With a sigh, he opened his eyes just in time to hear Damon and Stefan enter the house through the wine cellar. Maybe the distraction would serve him well. Kol was still working on sowing the seeds of discord amongst Marcel's followers, although it was no longer really necessary. There was enough disquietude as it was, and this morning, Klaus had told his brother to kill a couple of Marcel's most ardent followers. His former protégé should feel that he was running out of time and friends, maybe it would help to accelerate things. He _had_ to know Caroline was well, and he had to get her back soon or he would lose his mind. Again.

A moment later, the Salvatores strolled into the library. Elena was at Remy's, as they had decided that two pairs of ears were better than one, and Elijah had gone out to have dinner with Silv, displaying cold aloofness to keep up the pretense that the Mikaelson family was everything but united. Davina had been called to Bonnie's again. The invitations had increased over the last few days, which they took as a good sign. Rebekah was watching over her and would return later on.

Groaning profoundly, Damon slumped into an armchair and scrutinized Klaus. "Seriously, Godzilla, please do me a favour and don't go back into grouch mode. Haven't I heard you say something about how you were a very patient man? Well, I certainly don't see much of that guy."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Easy for you to say. Your girl is not a world away without any chance for you to find out how she is holding up."

Stefan had poured drinks for everyone and handed tumblers to Klaus and Damon. "Then again, Klaus, bear in mind that if we hadn't known about how every contact between this world and the Other Side can be tracked by the Old Witches, we would have drawn a hell of a lot of attention to Caroline."

Taking a deep breath at Stefan's calm words, Klaus nodded. "That is an advantage indeed, but it does nothing to make me feel more at ease about her fate down there. It is like being stuck at the South Pole with no mobile phone reception," he muttered, gulping down his drink without caring about what it was he was actually drinking.

There was a brief moment of silence before Damon emerged from his glass. "Wait a minute. Davina can't contact Caroline, but that does not mean she can't contact someone else, correct? There's interaction between the two worlds on a daily basis, so it would not be conspicuous for her to reach out to someone down there. To practice, maybe? And didn't Remy say that the Old Witches keep tabs mainly on those they believe to represent some sort of danger?"

"But who should she talk to? There is no one we can trust enough," Klaus objected.

"Beg to disagree," Damon remarked with a grin. "What about Ric?"

The Original frowned, then he gazed over at Stefan who was thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Not too bad an idea. He was back to his old self when he died, which means he is probably more than willing to help us. What do you think, Klaus?"

He couldn't fight the hope that swelled inside him, the hope of having news, of learning how she was faring and if she was well. As well as one could be on the Other Side. He had never thought of Alaric, in fact, he had all but forgotten that the man whose body he had invaded when he had first arrived in Mystic Falls was on the Other Side, too. It seemed at least two lifetimes away that he had died. Alaric, Damon's best friend. A drunkard, but a good man after all, at least until he had turned into a psychotic, hunting serial killer. It was worth a try, was it not?

"I need to know how she is, and if Alaric can help us, I will be more than happy to try." Grabbing his mobile, he texted Rebekah, asking her to bring Davina to the house via the tunnel once she left Bonnie's. "Let us just hope he is less of a pain in the ass than you are, mate," he grumbled at Damon.

"You just have the rare gift to bring out the best in everyone," the older Salvatore shot back.

Klaus raised his glass. "Some have it, others don't."

* * *

Shortly after one in the morning, they had all returned to the Mikaelson house. Everyone agreed that contacting Alaric would be worth a try, and Davina did actually look relieved to be performing a spell she was rather confident about. She had after all succeeded in contacting her ancestor, Vicq Samedi, in the Eternal Realm, which had been way more complicated than reaching out to someone on the Other Side.

Silv had brought dozens of candles which they had set up in a circle in order to provide Davina with more energy. The young witch immediately began to mumble, as the connection to the Other Side would take a considerable amount of time to build. Silv had informed them that they would not be able to hear Alaric directly, but that Davina would be echoing his words as he spoke.

Abruptly, the candles flared and Davina's voice resonated from the walls, a nuance darker than usual.

"Who are you, witch?"

Now it was Davina's normal voice that answered. "I am Davina of the Samedi line, and I am here with the Mikaelson family, Elena Gilbert and Damon and Stefan Salvatore. We need to inquire whether you can give us any news about Caroline."

There was a brief silence, then Alaric spoke again. "How are Elena and Damon?"

Teary-eyed, Elena whispered, "Please tell him that we miss him, and that we're both well. How is he?"

Damon looked flustered, murmuring with a choked whisper, "I don't miss him at all. He's an idiot."

Repeating their words, Davina echoed a chuckle. "Now I know that it is really them. I miss Elena, too, please tell her that. And Damon is a bloody asshole."

No longer able to rein in his anxiety, Klaus spoke up. "Ask him if he has seen Caroline. And how she is doing."

When Davina had asked the questions, there was another silence that made the fear within Klaus rise. "Yes, I have seen her. She was fine, she was _Caroline,_ and she has told me about… things. But she has gone on to sector six quite some time ago, and I have been waiting for her to return ever since."

Klaus jumped out of his chair and began to pace frantically. "How could you let her do that? What in the Gods' name has she been thinking?" he almost shouted, panic in his eyes.

"You should probably ask yourself how _you_ could allow her to do this, Klaus," Davina echoed Alaric's words. "She did not only die to break the spell and to avoid being used as a way to get to you, did you know that?"

"What do you mean?" Klaus whispered, looking at his brother. Elijah was frowning, staring at Davina.

"I mean that Caroline came here primarily to find out what will happen to your parents once the… _events_ unfold, to make sure that there will not be a happily ever after for them and that neither of them will ever be able to get to you again. She died for you, Klaus, for you and for your family, to give you peace of mind where your parents are concerned."

The three Mikaelson brothers stared at each other, thunderstruck. There was a tear in Silv's eye, and she shook her head in disbelief. Elijah was at Klaus' side in a blur, putting an arm around his brother's shoulders. "What can happen to her in sector six?" he asked Alaric, and Klaus could hear a slight tremor in his older sibling's voice.

"Physically, nothing, as far as I know. But sector six is probably the closest thing to hell there is. I have never been there, as I can only travel between sectors three and five, but there are always rumours, of course, and those are not pleasant. She has to have a very strong heart and a stable mind to cope with sector six, but I am confident that she will manage. Caroline has been gone for a while, and I reckon it is not easy to find the information she requires, which is why she is taking so long."

Swallowing hard, Klaus shook his head. "Why did she think she would find the information in sector six?" he demanded.

Davina echoed Alaric's response. "There has been a very persistent legend on the Other Side about a werewolf who has actually found his way from the Eternal Realm to this plane. Rumour has it that this man is in sector six, and she has traveled there to search for him and find out whether there will be some sort of prison in the Eternal Realm where Esther and Mikael will end up, and if there are any chances for them to ever emerge from such a place, should it exist."

Klaus buried his face in his hands. He knew he should have expected his girl to do something as reckless as this, but for a better reason than to ensure his peace of mind. The thought of Mikael escaping his punishment as a consequence of the annihilation of the Other Side would have been utterly annoying, but it did not justify Caroline endangering herself in whatever shape or form.

"Is there anything you can do, anything at all, to help her?" he asked in a strained tone.

"Unfortunately not while she is outside of my sectors, Klaus. I cannot trust anyone over here. There are not many Travelers who are able to access all six sectors, and most of those are loyal lackeys of the Old Witches. But Caroline is strong. She can do this. And… she loves you far too much to run the risk of not seeing you again, even if it completely eludes me when she has actually gone _that_ insane."

"I hear you, buddy," Damon snickered. "Any chance you can come by for a visit soon, as a ghost or something? Big Bad's no replacement for you."

Davina's laugh sounded funny in the deeper tone. "Will try, man. The quality of the entertainment down here is even worse than spending the evening with you." Damon's eyes looked suspiciously moist.

Klaus cleared his throat. "Alaric, will you tell her something once she returns?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Tell her that I will not yell at her for weeks, as agreed before she died, I will yell at her for _years_ after this stunt she pulled." He paused and pressed his lips into a thin line. "Tell her that I know there is nothing this incredibly brave woman cannot do. And tell her… that I love her beyond the boundaries of life, death and time. Will you do that for me?"

"No," Davina's darker voice said, "but I will do it for _her_. Klaus and all of you up there – see to it that you get her out of here soon. She does not belong on the Other Side, and everyone here can see that. And… it was great to hear from you guys. If there is anything I can do to help you, let me know, okay?"

There were general murmurs around the room, and just as Davina was about to break the connection, Alaric spoke once more. "Damon?"

"Yeah?"

"Take good care of Elena, will you?"

Elena sniffled and Damon gave a chuckle, but he looked a little touched. "I'll have to, after the way you screwed up as a guardian, buddy."

When the candles finally went out, Klaus sank onto the couch. "Why can't this woman _not _put herself in danger for once in her existence?" he asked of no one in particular.

Shaking his head, Elijah patted his younger brother's back. "I will help you will the yelling, Niklaus, you may rest assured. Then again, we should probably not be that surprised, should we?"

Klaus hit the couch with his flat hand. "How could she think that our parents' fate would be so relevant to me, to all of us, that it justifies her taking a little stroll through hell? Will she never learn that there is nothing as important to me as her bloody wellbeing?"

In the sudden silence, the buzz of Davina's phone was inordinately loud and all heads turned. Kol was just helping her up, a hand on her back and his worried eyes on her face. "I'm fine," she mumbled, "really, Kol. It was less straining than I actually thought." She pulled her mobile from her purse and checked the message. A somewhat nervous but nonetheless triumphant smile graced her ethereal features as she held up the phone for everyone to see.

**Davina. I have an exceptional proposition for you regarding the development of your magic. Come to the house tomorrow at sundown. Bonnie**

* * *

"I have made up my mind," Klaus announced upon entering the kitchen the following morning.

No one except for Davina had actually left, so he had found them all gathered here, going about their various morning rituals which included blood, coffee, tea, food and in Kol's case, a can of Red Bull. Elijah, who was standing at the counter, one arm around Silv's waist and waiting to remove his tea strainer, raised an eyebrow.

"Do I need to panic?" he inquired, a subtle hint of humour to his voice. Klaus snickered and strolled over to the counter, sniffing Elijah's tea and crinkling his nose.

"It is one of the great mysteries of life how anyone can drink Lapsang Souchong in the morning," he commented and began to busy himself preparing a cup of Nepalese tea. Sunderpani. Lovely stuff and _so _much more suitable as a morning tea, he thought with a light smile.

Elijah eyed him suspiciously and removed the tea strainer from his cup, nodding. "I believe panic is indeed appropriate, everyone. Niklaus is in high spirits, which means he either managed to finally forge The Starry Night in a satisfactory way or he has decided to reinstate tsardom in Russia."

Giving his brother a crooked grin, Klaus poured almost-boiling water over his tea leaves. He had been in a radiantly good mood ever since Bonnie's text which had indicated that things were finally gaining momentum. The blasted wait had been the very worst. And what was almost as important – he had decided that he would not turn the other cheek and let his former protégé slip into oblivion just like that. He would do things _his _way.

"May I remind you of the fact that I already _did _forge The Starry Night, and repeatedly so?"

"Even the most inexperienced layman would have been able to tell those were forgeries," Elijah shot back. His brother's mood was contagious, and most people were unaware that the two of them often bantered away like that when they were in private. The older Original smiled inwardly. Another sign of how his younger sibling was finally beginning to open up to family and friends.

Klaus folded his arms over his chest. "_One_ blue line, Elijah. It was _one_ line!"

"As I said. Layman."

They looked at each other and chuckled, mystifying most of the others. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kol's jaw suddenly setting right before his younger brother turned his back on them to gaze out of the window. With a frown, he considered. Was his younger brother actually jealous of the deep bond that connected him and Elijah? Cocking his head, he thoughtfully stroked his chin. That would indeed explain quite a few things, and he recalled Caroline saying something about how Kol was looking up to him and how he was desperate for his attention. At the time, he had more or less dismissed that, clinging to what he had believed for so many centuries – that it was Kol's mission to spite him day in, day out for no reason other than making his life difficult. If he was perfectly honest with himself, he had never truly paid much attention to his younger brother's emotions. Well, he would give this some more thought when things were back to normal, but it was very interesting how he had never truly seen this before. Taking a sip of his now-ready tea, he looked at his extended family who was gazing back at him curiously.

"Elijah was not quite mistaken about the reinstatement of tsardom. I know that we originally planned to have Bonnie turn Davina into an Original Witch and just not allow her to resuscitate Marcel once he dies. I have changed my mind. We will still adhere to the first part, but the minute Davina has become an Original, we will restore our kingdom in New Orleans. No more guerilla. We will openly confront Marcel and his troops, and he will perish by your hand, Kol. I want no doubt whatsoever as to who is ruling this place when everything is over. Every vampire, witch, warlock and werewolf who has settled here or is planning to must know who the sovereign is." He pointed at his younger brother who was staring at him wide-eyed. "Kol Mikaelson." Then he cast a cautious look at Elijah. "Am I right in assuming that this arrangement suits you as well, brother?"

The oldest Original was smiling at Kol, then at him. "You know that it does. Kol, are you ready for this? We are not talking about playgrounds, we are talking about running the capital of the supernatural world, keeping the human and not-quite-so-human population in check, making far-sighted decisions and not giving in to your every mood and flicker of rage or anger. Both your brother and I know that you are capable, and you did very well during our absence. Are you in for the long run, Kol?"

It was clear that his younger brother was still not used to being treated like this, to being offered a chance to prove himself. He stared at Elijah and Klaus who were gazing back at him evenly.

"What will you do, Nik? This is your baby, and I find it hard to imagine that you will give it up," he probed, almost a little nervously.

"I will be honest with you, brother," Klaus replied earnestly. "My priorities have shifted. Caroline is and will forever be the one thing that truly matters in my life, and once I have her back, I intend to dedicate all of my time and focus to her. But it does not change who I am, and you are well aware that I am not overly proficient at sharing power. Therefore, the moment may come in the distant future when I feel the desire to return to reign. That means that I will either find myself a new kingdom, or we will have to compromise. But this is a long way off, Kol, and I am very certain we will find a solution when the moment arrives. Just remember that I am still me, and the day may come. Can you live with that?"

Kol nodded. "Yes." He was silent for an instant, then he looked at Elijah questioningly. "Will you be leaving as well?" Klaus had to stifle a grin at the slight hint of panic in his younger sibling's voice.

"I will stay for the time being. I have always liked this place, and I appreciate the thought of settling for a lengthy period. Silv and I will, however, travel extensively and therefore be gone every now and then." The look of relief on Kol's face made Klaus clear his throat and bury his face in his tea cup in order not to give away his amusement. That younger brother of his would do just fine, but the fact that Elijah would be there to watch over Kol and his town was what truly enabled Klaus to be at ease with this whole new scenario.

Putting his coffee mug aside, Damon narrowed his eyes at Klaus. "After doing all your dirty guerilla work, would you _please_ tell me that this time, you have no super-secret plan B and will involve us in the Blitzkrieg?"

"What would the infantry be without Captain America?" Klaus retorted, rolling his eyes at the older Salvatore. "We have already established that you are unfit for the cavalry, haven't we?"

Damon was very obviously trying to ignore the chuckles around the room. Even Elena had to fight hard to suppress a giggle. "Doghouse," he snapped, glaring at his girl, but everyone could see the humourous twinkle in his eyes. Then he gestured at himself. "You will have no access to this amazing, irresistible, toned body until further notice."

With mock hysteria in her voice, Elena shrieked, "No! Not that! Don't do that to me, oh man of my dreams! How will I live on?"

Klaus was acutely reminded of Caroline when Elena burst into giggles, not able to deliver the line properly. Taking another swig of his tea, he looked over at Elijah. He hadn't discussed his plan for a land offensive with him beforehand, as he should have, but Elijah just nodded at him imperceptibly. His older brother was a very mean fighter, but he preferred to avoid open battles, which was why Klaus was somewhat surprised at hearing no protest. He assumed that Elijah agreed with him about the need to have Kol properly installed, and that would work best with a coup d'état. The king is dead, long live the king. It was a strange sensation to think of his younger brother as anything other than an obstreperous teenager.

And yes, he wanted revenge. He ached to kill Marcel himself, not only for being responsible for all of this but out of sheer disappointment over how the boy whom he had given everything could have turned on him so completely, and for the second time at that. But over the course of last night, he had come to the conclusion that it would be the wiser decision to leave the regicide to Kol in order to convey to everyone that the new ruler would take what was his. It had always worked that way throughout history, and it did to this day.

Bonnie Bennett's fate would be Caroline's to decide upon once she returned. He had devised a plan to incapacitate her once her spell on Davina was cast. The destruction of the Other Side would diminish all of the Black Magicians' powers. They would no longer be superior to White Witches and Warlocks, therefore Bonnie would no longer represent a true threat. But she had sided with Marcel and betrayed Caroline's friendship, and it would be for his girl alone to determine the witch's destiny.

"Kol, how many would you say are definitely on our side, out of conviction and not fear?" he demanded of his younger brother.

"About a dozen and a half, maybe twenty" Kol replied.

"That should be more than enough. We could easily do this between the three of us, but for appearances' sake, we should display a larger number of followers. Call them the minute Bonnie has cast her spell on Davina, not earlier. I want them to gather outside of Marcel's residence. We will beat him on his own turf. That brings us to the next issue – how will we learn when the spell is complete?"

Silv, who had been quietly enjoying her tea and her husband's arm around her waist, smiled now. "Easily enough. That piece of magic is so powerful it can be sensed in a very wide perimeter. All I have to do is remain close to Bonnie's house." She looked at Elijah. "The roof?"

The oldest Original nodded and pulled his wife a little closer. "No one will see you, no one will expect you there. Most witches and warlocks have spelled the entrances to their houses but tend to forget chimneys and other out-of-the-way openings. You will climb on of the neighbouring roofs and jump from there. _Very_ quietly."

"I could never be as quiet as you. How about you carry me?" she asked, looking up at him with a tender smile.

Elijah smiled back at her, and again, Klaus felt reminded of Caroline, remembering the way the two of them tended to forget everything when looking into each other's eyes, just like his brother and Silv did now. "It shall be my absolute pleasure, my lovely," Elijah nodded, briefly closing his eyes when his wife pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"Good, then that's settled. Next issue. We _have _to get Bonnie out of the house right after the spell. We cannot depend on Davina to help with that, having no inkling as to how long it will take for her to recover after the spell. It could well be days, although I sincerely hope not. Kol, how would you proceed to lure her from the house?"

The youngest Mikaelson straightened, and Klaus saw Elijah give a small smile and nod at him behind Kol's back. "Damon," Kol simply said. A broad smile appeared on Klaus' face and he nodded at Kol who looked a little proud at how his older brother immediately understood his drift.

"Care to explain to those of us who seem to be intellectually challenged?" Damon griped. "I'm pretty sure I'm one of the very last people in the world that witchy little thing would ever invite into her house."

Kol grinned, then he sobered to elaborate. "You have access to Marcel after all those joint parties, and he does not suspect foul play from you so far. So what you will do is go and ask for his help. Davina will remove the spell that protects you from magic migraine and will give you a permanent headache instead. Sorry about that, but it has to look real and you have to have a trace of magic on you. Okay, granted – I am not sorry," he snickered, making Damon snort. "You will go to Marcel and put on a very convincing performance of almost fainting from the pain and ask him for his help. If he tells you to go to Sophie Devereaux or any of the other witches, you will make one of your usual snarky comments as to how you thought he was the king of this town and would have any witch come to _him._ But he probably won't ask you to go anywhere – he loves to display his power. He'll call for Bonnie just to show you how even she does his bidding at a moment's notice. So she leaves the house and… disappears without a trace."

"Which is where I will come into play," Klaus took over, secretly pleased with Kol's scenario. "I am relatively immune against a number of spells and have been protected against quite a few others by Anna back in Kaliningrad who is a very capable witch. Once I have Bonnie, I will incapacitate her and lock her up until we require her services again. Kol, if Davina is able to walk or crawl out of Bonnie's house, you will bring her here and let her rest. If not, compel a human to break into the house and bring her to you. And do not forget the fake Grimoire. I do not want it lying around for anyone to find." He paused to look at Damon. "Mate, you will have to adhere to a split-second timing. The instant Silv texts all of us about the successful spell is when you have to appear at Marcel's door, not a minute earlier, for Bonnie will still be busy and Marcel will have to call another witch to help you."

He stepped back to the kettle and heated some more water while he heard Kol crack open another can of Red Bull. Shaking his head in amusement at his brother's taste in morning drink, he put more tea leaves into his cup and turned around to look at the congregation.

"If agreeable with everyone, I would like to ask the ladies – with exception of Rebekah – to stand clear of the fighting that will unfold. Both of you, Silv and Elena, are far too young and inexperienced, and there are enough of us as it is. Stay at the house, look after Davina and stand by in case there is anything we need you to do."

Elijah inclined his head and held up his hand when his wife wanted to protest, gently kissing her cheek. "Thank you, brother."

Klaus smiled and nodded. "Everyone will strictly be using the tunnel to enter or leave. I will ask Davina to spell all entrances and windows, both towards the street and the patio, in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises while we are away."

The water was boiling, and he poured it over the leaves. He would normally wait until the water had simmered down a little, but now was not the time for a bloody tea ceremony.

"Now, as for the faceoff. As I said, I want it to take place in and around Marcel's house. We will probably need to go through extensive rounds of compulsion afterwards, but there is no way we can clear the street of humans without drawing attention. Kol, you will start notifying our allies while you bring Davina home. Come to think of it, you will call one half and Elijah will call the other. I want everyone to inconspicuously scatter on the adjacent rooftops without being seen. The five of us," he motioned towards his siblings and Stefan, "will gather at the corner of Dauphine and St. Peter which is one block from Marcel's house, and we will run from there at top speed. Well, most of us," he grinned at Stefan who just snorted. Rebekah squeezed his hand and giggled.

"No need whatsoever for an inferiority complex, love," she winked at Stefan, pulling a simultaneous groan from Damon and Kol.

"Can you refrain from going into further details, sister?" Kol begged, making Rebekah stick out her tongue at him.

"Once we are all finally gathered in front of the house," Klaus continued with another mischievous snicker at Stefan, "I will call for Marcel. He will see the five of us, but he will still come out as he cannot afford to show fear in front of his underlings. The moment he opens the door, I want everyone to jump down from the rooftops and join us. We will then simply storm in and mow down everything that stands in our way. I know for a fact that Marcel's house is not protected against intruders as he firmly believes that no one would ever dare to enter uninvited. Anyway, those who put up any kind of resistance will die. The fate of those who surrender I will leave to your judgment, brother," he gestured towards Kol. "At some point, we will have to expect reinforcement troops, and I would therefore suggest keeping an eye on the street at all times. Unfortunately it is not full moon, otherwise we could have called upon the Plaquemine werewolf pack for support, which would have made even more of an impression on the supernatural community. Speaking of which – Stefan, do you think Tyler might be willing to join us? We could use a second pair of Hybrid teeth. Is he still around?"

Assenting, Stefan answered, "As this is about avoiding the extinction of our kind, he might well be ready to help. He and Hayley are still in Plaquemine, as it would seem that the pack knows something about Hayley's family and she is trying to find out more. I'll call him."

"Good. Kol, do you have any moral scruples about killing Marcel?" Klaus demanded, unable to help a light chuckle at his brother's incredulous face.

"Are you kidding?" Kol asked, disbelief in his voice.

With a smile, Klaus winked. "As a matter of fact, I am. Anyway, Marcel is yours. Strive to execute him in front of as big of an audience as possible. It has to have an impact, and you have to make a lasting impression. Do not go for the barbaric methods. Be minimalistic but determined. In one word, do what Elijah usually does."

"Tear out his heart, wipe my hands on a monogrammed kerchief and then rearrange my cufflinks?" Kol asked amusedly.

Shaking his head, Elijah jerked his thumb at his youngest brother. "The boy does not even own a proper suit, let alone cufflinks," he chuckled.

"When everything is over," Klaus continued, "I will need to extort the spell for the permanent resuscitation from Miss Bennett, and I believe to have found a very reliable method to do so. As soon as Caroline has returned from the Other Side, we will waste no further time and annihilate the plane. Initially, I was not inclined to do so, but I am tired of the Old Witches' meddling and the fact that we have to continuously fight against their influence. In the event that Caroline has found out that there is indeed something resembling a gaol in the Eternal Realm, I will ask Davina to contact our mother before we proceed. I want her to be aware of every detail of what is awaiting her and yes, I want to rub it in. I want her to see how even her last and greatest scheme failed, and how we will bloody well live on forever, despite all her attempts at impeding that. Objections, Elijah, Bekah, Kol?"

"None," Elijah said firmly, looking at his other siblings who immediately concurred.

Elena spoke up, gazing into the round hesitantly. "What will happen to Bonnie?"

Klaus looked her straight in the eye. "Caroline will decide. Miss Bennett has betrayed all of you, but Caroline most of all, and I believe she should be the one to determine what she deems appropriate to happen to her." He paused. "All right then, we will have to be ready tonight. There is no indication as to when Bonnie will perform the spell on Davina. It could be tonight, tomorrow or any other day. Just be ready, everyone. Kol, call Davina and tell her to come over so we can bring her up to speed. Bekah, watch over her on her way and bring her in through the tunnel."

Damon grinned like a boy who just woke up to find it was Christmas morning. "Really? No plan B? We get to not miss the real action this time?"

Rolling his eyes, Klaus let his head fall back and stared at the ceiling, hiding a grin of his own.

"I wonder if Davina can upgrade the migraine to a cluster headache."


	43. Showtime

**Today's special thanks go to Micronesia, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Trinidad&Tobago and Jamaica! :)**

**Thank you so much to last chapter's guest reviewers Marie, Justine, Bekki and the Anon! :)  
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**And another big hug to Tricia for posting review #7-freaking-00! Woooohoooo! XXXXX**

**Time to get into the spirit of the plan today! ;)**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

SHOWTIME

_DAVINA_

Kol had insisted to be the one to watch over her when she made her way to Bonnie's, and it made her more nervous than everything else put together.

When they had explained to her what the plan was, a mixture of excitement and anxiety had rushed through her. She had never been ambitious about her way as a witch. About learning and bettering herself, yes, but not really about amassing power and influence. The thought of becoming the most powerful witch on the planet was so monumental she had not even managed to truly wrap her head around it yet. A change so fundamental was what caused her anxiety, and to no small extent. Her excitement, however, was purely due to Kol and his family. She had not been lying when she had told Klaus how she felt about the Mikaelsons, and for some reason, his approval had meant very much to her. Davina had known who he was, her ancestor had told her about him, but he had also said that despite his many transgressions, Klaus – who was the undisputed head of the family – was a man of honour. As long as he wasn't betrayed or threatened, and even though she was very young and did no longer have a family, Davina understood that when it came to protecting your loved ones, all bets were off, and even more so when your name was Klaus Mikaelson. Yes, she wanted to contribute what she could to the plan, she wanted to help. And what was even more important, she wanted to be with the weird clan because she knew it was where she belonged, in all grand scheme of things.

There was one thing she had never revealed to Kol, Klaus or anyone else about her conversation with Vicq Samedi. He had not only told her to trust Klaus. He had also said that the strings of her destiny were irrevocably interwoven with the those of Mikaelson family. In what respect he had not been able or willing to tell, but his statement had been absolute. For a long time, it had been a mystery to her just how a White Witch like herself, with no ties to anyone, was supposed to be so closely connected to the most powerful, dark vampire family whose members were considered mortal enemies by almost every other supernatural being. She had been absolutely positive that her ancestor must have been mistaken. But the minute she had clapped eyes on Kol, an overwhelming sense of belonging, of being part of something had rushed through her, and the same had happened again when she had joined the other family members in Florida, although to a lesser extent than when she had first met the youngest Mikaelson brother.

Still, it did not change a thing about the fact that he made her nervous, that her stomach contracted each and every time she saw him. Davina had long since decided that if any man was to ever touch her, it would be Kol Mikaelson. To her eternal amazement, she had found that she actually _wanted _him to touch her! From the very first second, she had utterly enjoyed his company, and this feeling had steadily grown to a level where she missed him sorely whenever he wasn't near. When she woke in the morning, she longed to speak to him, and he was her last thought before falling asleep every night. She could not pinpoint the exact moment her infatuation had turned into love, but even with her lack of romantic experience, she knew for certain that it had. The thought scared her deeply, and not because Kol was a vampire or because it would mean she could never have children. No, it frightened her because she had absolutely no idea whether he even remotely returned her feelings. Klaus seemed to believe he did, but Davina had no inkling whatsoever, and all she had ever seen in her life was love ending in shambles, which made her even more wary.

Walking across the cemetery, she remembered how he had almost kissed her that day she had first visited Bonnie. When Rebekah had interrupted them, Davina hadn't been sure whether to thank or strangle Kol's sister. Completely lost in her musings, she suddenly felt herself snatched off the pathway and carried into the depths of the grounds.

"Déjà vu," a very familiar voice murmured at her ear, and she wondered briefly if she was going to faint and ruin the entire plan.

"Kol," she whispered nervously, "whilst I appreciate the Groundhog Day routine, don't you agree that this is not the right moment to go for a walk?"

This time, he did not press her against a tree but hid them both behind a very large bush right next to the cemetery wall, her back against the cool stone. "Darling, I can assure you that nothing is further from my mind than going for a stroll right now. I just… I need to say something to you before you go in there, Davina."

Her knees seemed to have been jinxed into rubber, and she pressed herself more firmly into the wall for additional support. "What is it, then?" she barely managed to choke out.

Running a hand through his hair, he swallowed. Then he shook his head and placed one hand on the wall to each side of her, imprisoning her between his arms. Not that she had any desire to escape. "Gods, I am just not good at this," he whispered. "What I wanted to say was…"

And then his lips were on hers. He kissed her gently, sweetly, in a way she would never have expected from someone like him. Her lips parted in sheer amazement, and for the first time in her life, Davina felt the incomparable excitement of a deep, sensual kiss as his tongue playfully invaded her mouth. Oh heavens, she _would_ faint after all! Instinctively, her tongue met his and let him guide her, giving herself into his hands and letting him drive her right out of her head.

It was wonderful, it was far beyond everything she had ever thought kissing would be. She felt his hands caress her face, and just like that, her own hands began to wind around his waist, timidly stroking his back. She was obviously doing something right, judging by the way he pulled her closer and deepened their kiss.

When he finally retreated an inch, it took her another minute to open her eyes again. He was staring at her, an expression on his face she had never seen on him before. Had she done something wrong after all?

"Kol?" she whispered, her heart clenching with the fear of having made some sort of mistake.

He closed his eyes for a second before he looked at her again. Taking her hand, he kissed it fervently. "Don't you dare get hurt or worse," he said quietly, his voice tense and hard. "Don't. You. Dare."

Her heart did a double take. "Why?" she asked in a barely audible tone.

Gritting his teeth, he pointed towards the main walkway. "You have to go now. I will watch. Nothing will happen to you."

Right before he flashed off, she managed to grab his arm. "Kol. I think I deserve an answer. Why?" she repeated.

The Original stared at her for a moment, then he pulled her into a fierce embrace. "If I had the courage to tell you why, I would be a braver man by far," he muttered, a hint of anxiety in his voice. She felt his lips on her forehead before a rush of air told her he was gone.

Completely shaken, Davina commanded her wobbling legs to obey her and slowly made her way back to the main walkway, her mind completely clouded with the aftermath of her first kiss and his urgent words. Oh, she wanted to feel this again, she wanted to feel his lips on hers, his tongue inside her mouth, his hands on her. Never in her wildest dreams would she have expected to actually _crave_ a man's touch the way she did now. Then again, he was not just any man, was he?

Knowing he would be able to hear her, she whispered, "I expect you to be brave when this is over, Kol Mikaelson. As brave as I will be."

There was a single word in the air, and Davina was sure it was a figment of her imagination, some sort of wishful thinking. It couldn't have been Kol.

_Mine._

* * *

Bonnie had made coffee. It was the first time ever that she had offered Davina something to eat or drink, and she hurried to give her face a suitably grateful expression.

"I have asked you to come here," the Black Witch began, "to offer something very substantial to you, Davina. You have proven to be an avid learner, and you have never once questioned my instruction, which I appreciate. As you recall, I've had to teach myself just as you did, and while it is part of who I am, I would not have advanced to where I am today without help and some luck. In light of that, I believe it's my duty to pass on some of that luck, and I have chosen you to be the recipient of it."

Davina looked at Bonnie, with big, innocent, wide eyes. Contrary to what everyone believed, she was not truly naïve, and she could very well act if required. It made her uncomfortable, but it did not lessen her performance. "I would be indeed grateful for anything you decide to teach me, Bonnie, and I think you know that."

The other witch nodded. "I do, which is one of the reasons I chose you. I know that you appreciate knowledge and wisdom, and that you are a very loyal woman. Do you think there is anything that could shake your loyalty towards me?"

Putting on a thoughtful expression, Davina pretended to consider for a moment. "Nothing I could think of. Normally, I would probably say, hurting my family, but as I don't have any family left, I can't really imagine anything that could ever turn me against you."

Something remotely resembling a genuine smile crossed Bonnie's features and made her almost look like the young girl Elena and Caroline had described to her so many times. "That is good to know, because I am loyal to those who are loyal to me. Now, what do you know about the Original Witch?" she asked, her eyes probingly on Davina's face.

"She created the Original Vampires. Her powers were unparalleled until she was killed by her own son. Rumour has it she returned to the Plane of the Living not too long ago, but she has since returned to the Other Side."

"Correct. Esther, the Original Witch, was capable of immensely strong magic. She was not immortal, as you know, but she could have extended her natural life almost indefinitely, aging by about one or two natural years every century. An Original Witch is neither a White nor a Black Witch, and she is not bound by the limitations of either art. She can perform magic no regular witch or warlock is capable of achieving, which makes her the single most powerful witch on the planet. She can communicate with the Other Side and the Eternal Realm at leisure, her magic is much faster than anyone's and she cannot be compelled by Original Vampires. And ever since the White Oak has been destroyed, an Original Witch is the only being capable of finding a method to kill the Mikaelson family. If I am not mistaken, one of your own ancestors has been killed by Klaus, hasn't he?"

Davina inclined her head and deliberately narrowed her eyes to slits in pretend anger. "Vicq Samedi, yes. He was just a frail old man when Klaus killed him."

There was a long moment of silence before Bonnie spoke again. "What would you say if I gave you all the powers I just described, thus enabling you to avenge your ancestor and become the most potent witch on Earth?"

Putting on the most incredulous face she was able to, Davina shook her head in mock disbelief. "That is not possible. There was only one Original Witch, and she has died. God, I would love to find a way to put Klaus down, but…"

"And there is a way," Bonnie interrupted. "As I said – you would become an Original Witch, with all the power it entails, plus the possibility to end Klaus. All I ask in return is your loyalty. Once the spell is cast, you will be more powerful than I am, but something tells me you would never be one to abuse that power, and you will certainly never be one to betray your only friend in the world."

The younger witch could barely refrain from snorting. Her friend? Yeah right. But she had to admire Bonnie's selling skills. She would, however, have to appear reluctant for a little while longer, otherwise she would not be credible.

"Why wouldn't you turn yourself into an Original Witch?" she demanded, gazing at Bonnie questioningly. "It would be a natural choice, if you ask me." She could see Bonnie was falling for the flattery, which surprised her.

"I have my reasons, but I am quite sure that someday, I will choose that path."

"What would happen to me if I agree? How would the spell work?" Davina inquired, not having to feign anxiety now. She had read the list of ingredients for the potion, she had studied the spell. It was extremely complicated, but the instructions were relatively clear. The Original Grimoire did not, however, specify what exactly happened to the spelled person.

Bonnie nodded, obviously having expected that question. "I will have to concoct a complex potion with a gigantic number of ingredients, which you will be glad to hear I have already gathered. Do you remember what I have taught you about layered spells, how your fingers, your hands, your arms and your head will have to move in one flow, then change within a split second into the flow of the next layer?"

"Yes," Davina answered. "You said that a regular witch could achieve a maximum of three layers within one spell. How many layers does this one have?"

"Seven," Bonnie replied. Davina had known that, of course, but she feigned total astonishment now. Despite the ruse, she was still intrigued about how Bonnie would manage a seven layer spell, and she would try to watch for as long as she could. "I don't know what you will feel, Davina, or what exactly will happen to you, I admit that. You'll have to take your chances. So what is your answer?"

Pursing her lips, Davina wrapped a stray curl of her hair around her finger. "Can I ask you one more question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"What do you want me to do for you once I have turned into an Original Witch?"

After a brief moment of silence during which Davina was already beginning to fear she had gone too far, Bonnie's face split into a broad grin. "The other reason why I chose you. You have a keen mind. So yes, there is something I will be asking you to do, but it will coincide with your own wishes. I will ask you to put Klaus down."

Opening her hands, Davina nodded. "As I already told you, I don't have an issue with that. On the contrary. But you are aware that killing him will kill his entire line, right? And quite honestly, I'm a bit uncomfortable with that."

Nodding, Bonnie poured herself some more coffee. "I understand that, and you will be happy to hear that I have found a way to perfect the resuscitation spell, which, as you may recall, has always been temporary in nature. I have managed to make it permanent. Whoever is revived will return for good. And of course, I only intend for Klaus to be put down, I don't care about the rest of his family."

Making herself look like she was swallowing the downright lie, Davina considered for a moment before she raised her coffee mug.

"What are we waiting for?"

* * *

_DAMON_

The headache was unbearable.

Just before she had left for Bonnie's, the little witch had given him a migraine, and Damon felt like going up the walls by now. It had been hours since she had departed, and the only silver lining had been a text from Silv who had informed them that there was strong magic underway in Bonnie's house, so Davina was apparently going to be spelled right away.

Elena had been trying to distract him all evening, and they had both had to laugh when she had opened her blouse to reveal a black lace bra and he had just muttered, "Not tonight, sweetie. Headache."

Klaus, Elijah and Kol were scattered around Bonnie's house, waiting for the spell to be finalized. After a few hours, Damon had kissed Elena and left through the tunnel, carefully making his way to Marcel's neighbourhood without being spotted by any of the older vampire's flunkies. He needed to be relatively close to the older vampire's house to be there as quickly as he could once Bonnie was finished. It was hard to focus with the damn migraine, but he managed. No one had seen him, and he was now hiding in the shadows a couple of blocks from Marcel's.

Attempting to get his mind off the pain, he thought about Klaus' former protégé. In the very beginning, he had been sure that in view of their many shared interests, they would hit it off and he would, at some point, maybe even be reluctant to put him down. He had been mistaken. There was nothing even remotely redeemable about Marcel, with the single exception of his generosity when it came to partying, drinking, gambling and feeding. He was always last to drink and feed, making sure everyone else was happy. But that was about the extent of his positive qualities. Damon had disliked very many people in his life, but there had not been overly many he had developed this kind of loathing for. More than once, he had wondered what on Earth Klaus had seen in this guy. He was presumptuous, arrogant, had no style and little manners. He was shrewd and streetwise but not intelligent. Damon had had to literally force himself to attend the countless parties Marcel had invited him to, and that had been a first – he had never disliked partying. It was mainly Marcel's presence, but not exclusively. Elena had changed him as well. Now his greatest pleasure was just being with her, and more than once he had caught himself wishing for some peaceful times to get a clearer picture of what they both wanted to do with their lives. Well, _he_ knew what he wanted.

When everything was over and they were finally free from all the threats and battles, he would do what he should have done ages ago. He would propose to her. The thought pulled a smile from him and almost made him forget his headache. Unbeknownst to everyone, he had already purchased a ring, and now everything he needed was the right moment. He had to grin again at how both Elena and Caroline would go hysterical over wedding preparations, and how he would moan and grumble about everything when he would secretly be enjoying every minute of it.

If she said yes.

At that very moment, his phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and opened Silv's text.

**Showtime.**

With endless relief, he deleted the text – one never knew – and flashed off to Marcel's house, very conspicuously this time.

* * *

"Man, you look like shit! What's the matter with you?" Marcel's thunderous voice greeted him at the large double doors that led to the older vampire's house. He seemed to be in a resplendent mood, so Damon assumed that Bonnie had already reported success. Good.

Pressing the ball of his hand to his forehead, he groaned. "Had a run-in with one of the witchy little things over in Baton Rouge this afternoon. I didn't even say a word, she just sees me and gives me the godfather of headaches. Take my word for it, dude, they get sassier by the day." Marcel patted his shoulder sympathetically and pulled him into the house.

"Why don't we see if we can rid you of that? I have a couple of pretty talented witches at my disposal, and…"

Shaking his head, Damon interrupted. "Already tried with another witch on the way back. Seems like the little lady who gave me this was a Black Witch, and her migraine is a bit different from what the regular hags normally do. I'll have to find myself someone a bit more capable. Any ideas?"

Pouring them each a generous glass of Bourbon, Marcel shrugged. "Maybe. How about Bonnie Bennett?"

With a loud groan, Damon made a slightly panicky gesture. "Forget it, dude. Bonnie hates me with a passion. She'll probably make it even worse. I've never met a witch that stubborn and opinionated. That girl will never do what she is asked to." He knew it was a risk, but he was certain Marcel was a prime candidate for reverse psychology.

Laughing out roaringly, Marcel patted his shoulder again, his hand lingering just a moment too long for comfort. "You just need to address her the right way and she is putty in your hands," he confided with a lewd grin. "Care for a little bet?"

"Bring it on," Damon nodded, pressing his hand against his temple again.

Marcel folded his arms across his chest and chuckled. "I'll bet you five thousand bucks that Bonnie will get here, be sweet as honey and take your migraine without any further coercion than my asking her nicely."

"Not on your life," Damon scoffed. "Tell you what. Double or nothing. She'll take one look at me and tell you to get lost."

"Ten grand. You're on, man. Cash only." With that, the older vampire pulled out his phone and typed something at full vampire speed. Damon fervently hoped that things would be worth this bloody headache he would have to endure until everything was over. Sipping his Bourbon, he considered the possible ways of kicking the younger Mikaelson's ass for this stupid idea, and he wondered for a moment if Aspirin might help.

"How about we distract you from your pain with a little round of Poker until Bonnie arrives?"

Damon sighed inwardly.

"If you're so keen on losing another ten grand…"

* * *

_KLAUS_

He had been perched in the crown of the large elm in front of Bonnie's house for quite some time now, keeping an eye on both the entrance door and on Silv, who was motionlessly sitting on the roof, focused on the magic that was unfolding inside. When he saw her head jerk up, he knew it was done. He had been feeling some sort of energy himself, but of course not as distinctly as his sister-in-law did. An instant later, he saw her grab her phone and text, having to grin at the single word she sent around to them all.

**Showtime.**

Now he would need to be patient for another short while until Damon had done his part. It was exactly what he would have planned to do, and he had been pleasantly surprised at Kol's way of thinking. He had watched his younger brother earlier on while Kol had shadowed Davina's steps. It had been clear to him that the lad would not let the witch walk into uncertainty without finally acting on his very obvious feelings. Klaus had kept his distance, prepared to step in had the two of them been in any danger of getting carried away, but it had not been necessary. He smiled at how his younger brother seemed to be almost as confused about his emotions as Klaus himself had been when he had first begun to court his Caroline.

Absently, he ran a finger over his Signum, briefly closing his eyes at the warmth that spread through him immediately. With his entire being, he hoped that it would not be long until he had her back in his arms. But first things first. It was Big Bad Hybrid Klaus he required tonight, and that was exactly who he would be.

Twenty minutes later, he heard steps approaching the front door, followed by the rattling of keys. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Silv tense on the roof, having heard the noises, too. Silently, Klaus stepped onto two large branches and sank into a crouch.

The door opened, and with a quick look over her shoulder into the house, Bonnie stepped out, closing the door behind her and turning the key in the lock. Well, Kol would have to kick the damn thing open, then. He knew his younger brother was on the roof of a house about one block away, he had seen him move very briefly. He would do what needed to be done.

Focusing all of his senses on the witch, Klaus waited until she had set one foot on the street. In a blur, he landed behind her on the pavement. Bonnie tried to turn around, but she was not fast enough. He clapped a hand over her mouth and blocked her arms from moving.

"Good evening, witch. Lovely weather for a stroll, would you not agree?" He felt a light pressure in his head and chuckled. "I do not wish to be rude, Miss Bennett, but I have to state that your old friend Prelati was more accomplished than you by a mile. Sleep well."

And with that, he stabbed two of his fingers into the hollow of her throat, exerting just the right amount of pressure to make the witch pass out.

* * *

Opening the door to Remy's, Klaus stepped into the bar. He had called the Spaniard once Bonnie was out cold, asking him to send everyone away and to close for the remainder of the night. He was carrying the witch over his shoulder, nodding at Remy who did not even look surprised. Flashing to the door, he locked it and motioned towards the trap door behind his bar counter that led to the cellars.

"Are you planning on leaving her down there?" he inquired. "Because I have nothing to tie her up with."

Klaus shook his head. "I will need her out of it for a considerable length of time. Your cellars will be put to a different use once she comes to, but that must not happen before everything is over." He dumped the witch on the floor, not sparing her another glance, and slipped his hand into his jacket pocket, producing a small plastic bag containing five syringes with needles. They were filled with a white liquid. He handed the bag to Remy.

"Thiamylal. It is one of the strongest anaesthetics on the market, and each syringe contains double the dose you would usually administer to a human. It will not last much longer than one hour, so whenever you notice her regaining consciousness, you will have to renew the narcosis. Should I be longer than five hours, which is highly doubtful, call either Silv or Elena, they will bring additional supplies. Under no circumstances whatsoever must Miss Bennett regain consciousness before I return."

"Got it," Remy nodded. "What's going to happen with her?"

A brief shadow crossed Klaus' face. "She is the only one who knows the composition of the permanent resuscitation spell which will bring Caroline back from the Other Side, and she will tell me, I do not care at what cost. But I do not believe it will take me very long to persuade her after all. Just see to it that she neither dies nor wakes." He looked at Remy intently. "We will be taking down Marcel tonight, and most of his cronies. You will lose a considerable number of patrons. However, the werewolves will be back in town soon, therefore I am rather optimistic that they can balance your losses."

The Spaniard pursed his lips and stroked his chin. "I mean no offense, Klaus, but are you sure Kol is ready? I know he has a good brain, but he is… _Kol,_ if you understand what I mean."

With a genuine smile, Klaus nodded. "You know that Kol and I have not been in an overly good place for centuries, and had you asked me this same question a few months ago, I would have laughed and agreed with you wholeheartedly. But something tells me he will surprise us all." He paused for an instant. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could… have an eye on things from time to time."

Now Remy let out a quick laugh. "Klaus, that brother of yours is not to be shepherded!" Then he smiled. "Of course I will. Just don't tell Kol. He'll turn my bar into rubble."

Klaus chuckled and turned to leave. Just before he opened the door, he winked at the Spaniard. "Elijah will stay in town for a while."

"Thank the Lord for small miracles."

* * *

_KOL_

The instant Klaus had flashed off with Bonnie, Kol had just waited for Silv to descend from the roof and sent her on her way home. She had offered to help him with Davina, but Kol had argued that before they had taken down Marcel, they shouldn't be strolling around together in public. Once Silv had left, he cast a quick look around and kicked the door open. He heard the sounds of flat breathing, and his heart clenched. Was Davina all right? What if anything had gone awry with that spell? Well, whatever had happened, he had no time to lose.

"Davina?" he whispered into the darkness.

There was a brief acceleration of her breathing, and he had the distinct feeling that the witch was trying to say something, but she obviously couldn't. All right then. He flashed off until two blocks further down the road, he found a burly, tall man who was carrying a briefcase. Without further ado, Kol let his pupils dilate.

"You will follow me immediately, no questions asked. You will not draw attention to us, and you will do exactly as I say. Once I no longer require you, you will forget about me and everyone else you encounter, and you will never remember that any of this happened."

The man nodded and followed Kol without a word. When they reached Bonnie's house, the Original pointed at the open door. "Inside, you will find a young, dark-haired woman. Bring her to me."

Thirty seconds later, the man emerged from the house, carrying a pale, weak-looking Davina in his arms. He stepped outside, and Kol immediately took the witch from him. "Now return inside and search for a book which you will bring to me as well." After describing the forged Original Grimoire to him, Kol watched the man disappear inside. It took him longer this time, about ten minutes, to emerge from the house. But he was carrying the manuscript. With a nod, Kol slipped the book inside his jacket and gestured towards the street. "Leave."

Cradling the witch in his arms, he began to run until he had reached the abandoned courtyard that led to the tunnel. Once they were inside and Kol had shut the trap door, he relaxed a little. Carrying her at human speed now, he gently patted her cheek.

"Davina, are you awake?"

There was no reply. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was no longer as flat as it had been when he had first heard her inside Bonnie's house. She would need some rest, and Kol knew that Silv and Elena would look after her. Still, he wished he could stay until she woke. He had been thinking of little else than the incredible sweetness of her taste when he had finally kissed her earlier that night, and he had no idea what to make of the confusing sensation of tenderness that welled up in him every time he saw her. Or thought about her. He had never felt this protective – and possessive – of anyone or anything in a thousand years, and he found it very unsettling. It was not that he disliked the feeling, but it flustered him to no little extent. With a sigh, he walked on, cradling her against his chest and softly kissing her cheek. His breathing hitched for a second when he heard her heartbeat accelerating.

"Wake up soon, darling," he murmured just before ascending to the wine cellar. Once he was in the house, he called for Silv. His sister-in-law and Elena came out of the kitchen, blood bags in hand.

"Put her in the study, on the couch," Silv instructed and Kol did as she asked. Tenderly caressing Davina's face, he turned around and looked at the two women.

"Will she be all right?"

With a very broad smile, Silv came over to him and squeezed his hand. "You can't feel what I can, brother, but she will be better than all right. The energy, the power she is exuding is tenfold what it was before, and she has not even regained consciousness. I hate to admit it, but Miss Bennett accomplished an impressive piece of magic. The spell worked perfectly. It looks like your girl is now an Original Witch."

"My girl? Don't get any ideas," Kol mumbled, embarrassed like a teenager for some reason. "She is nothing of the sort."

Both Silv and Elena huffed and looked at each other in exasperation. "Why are men always so blind? Is that genetic or a result of deficiencies during their upbringing?" Elena inquired, winking at Silv.

The older woman threw her hands in the air. "In this case, I would attribute it to a fatal combination of both factors, plus a couple of less-than-exemplary role models."

Kol was torn between laughter and despair. Casting one last, longing look at Davina, he shoved his hands into his pockets. "If you will excuse me, I have to join my role models. We have a battle to win. Go watch Desperate Housewives!" He flashed off before Silv could kick him, all three of them laughing. "Look after her," he muttered before he made his way to the tunnel and out of the house to join his brothers.


	44. The Golden Horde

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**Bekki, Anahita20, Justine, Marie and the Anon - thank you all very, very much! :)**

**I hope everyone will enjoy today's chapter... we're very slowly starting to get onto the home stretch, there are eight chapters left including today's, so it would be great if you all stayed on board until the end. :)  
**

**THANK YOU!  
**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

THE GOLDEN HORDE

The five of them were gathered in a backyard a few blocks from Marcel's home.

Everything had gone according to plan so far, which pleased Klaus, and he had expected no less, but it did not get to him the way it used to. He would always be keen on proving his superior wit, on showing the world his dominance. It was a character trait that was deeply rooted within him ever since he had come of age, maybe even earlier. Competitiveness had played a major role throughout his entire existence, and it always would. Still, he had noticed something over the last few days, something that was completely new to him: he was tired. Tired of the schemes, the plans and the omnipresent complots against him and his family. He wanted one thing, and one thing only – to put everything behind him and spend time with his girl. He had said it to Elijah once or twice, but now he truly felt it for the first time. It was not only Caroline who had stimulated the need for change. The yearning for a battle-free period came from deep inside his being. There was no war he had not fought, no skirmish, no combat he had not engaged in himself. Never in his life had he consciously avoided a confrontation of whatever form or colour. It had shaped him, but he knew there had to be more to his essence than this, and he wanted to find out what it was. Klaus had absolutely no idea how to lead a life that was not ruled by battle and evasion, but he had every intention of discovering whether he was able to. And he wanted to give Caroline time and space to explore herself. For someone so young, she was remarkably certain of who she was – and it was with no little pride that he knew he had played a part in her finding out – but there was so much more for her to unearth, and she would do so without continuous dangers looming at every corner.

"Everybody ready?" he asked in a subdued voice, scrutinizing his siblings and Stefan. All of them nodded, and he had to hide a smile at how his little sister was beaming at him for letting her partake in the attack. She was a good fighter, fast and strong, but he had never bothered to voluntarily include her in any of his battles, and he knew she resented him for it.

Stepping out of the backyard and onto the pavement, he heard all four of them follow. The second he nodded, they flashed off. Neither of the four Originals could ever be detected by the human eye when they ran at full velocity, but Stefan was not quite as fast, so it was well possible that someone caught a glimpse of him. Well, whatever rumours would come up within the human population in the aftermath of tonight, Kol was the one to take care of them.

Not a minute later, they arrived in front of Marcel's house. Klaus did not look around, but he sensed their vampire allies on the rooftops as instructed. It was not that he actually needed them to support him in the fight – they were extras. After all, show was everything.

They stood in a solid line in the middle of the street, Klaus at its center, flanked by Stefan and Rebekah while Elijah and Kol covered their sides. Straightening to his full height, he fixed his eyes on the double doors that led into the house, focusing his hearing and quickly counting the people he could discern inside. Fifteen, maybe a few more. It made no difference. Fifteen or fifty – they did not stand a chance.

"Marcel," he said quietly, knowing his former protégé would hear him perfectly well. There was a brief silence, then the shuffling of feet, and Klaus detected a barely noticeable motion behind a window on the upper floor. He did not point it out, as he was certain Elijah had seen it as well. They would have to keep their eyes open. Footsteps were approaching now, and Klaus raised his hand so the vampires on the surrounding rooftops could see it clearly.

With a light screech, the door opened. Klaus flicked his fingers, and at the very moment Marcel appeared in the doorframe, about two dozen vampires leaped from various adjacent houses, landing in the street and slowly walking towards the five of them until they had formed a second line behind them. There was a deafening silence, and for an instant, Klaus reveled in the look of complete perplexity on Marcel's face. Shaking his head, he took one step forward, his eyes narrowing to slits and his voice becoming a deadly hiss when he spoke out loud so everyone would hear.

"It would seem my instincts deserted me for once. You have never been anything but a beggar and a whore, lad, however much you may have fooled yourself into believing you have left your origins behind."

Not giving Marcel any time to react, he flashed ahead, brutally shoving his former protégé aside to storm into the house. He knew the others were following, but before anyone could even set one foot over the threshold, he had already torn out three hearts. Suddenly, vampires were coming at them from all sides, and there were way more than fifteen after all. He saw Rebekah tear off a head and Stefan, right at her side, break a chair and stake a lanky, young vampire with one of the wooden legs. Elijah was his usual serene self, even within the fight, calmly tearing out hearts and keeping an eye on everyone else. Kol was as yet avoiding Marcel who was currently fighting some of the regular vampires, and Klaus knew he would be keeping him for last. Good.

While ripping off a couple of heads and watching their allies fight Marcel's troops, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Movement beneath the windows. "Reinforcement!" he called out and saw Elijah and Kol nod. Rebekah was already at the doors, fighting off the first few intruders. There were another twenty-two coming in from the streets, he had counted them in the blink of an eye. It was still a piece of cake, but Klaus wanted the others, those who had chosen to side with them, to feel useful. It made people more loyal, and that was what Kol would need. He saw the last of the newcomers storm into the open doors, but suddenly, the man stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes glazed over, and without a sound, he sank to his knees and dropped to the floor. An instant later, Tyler Lockwood's face appeared in the doorway. His eyes found Klaus', and the two of them gave a quick nod before they launched themselves into the battle again.

The skirmish raged on for some time, but none of Marcel's minions were true fighters. They had never had to be, and they were hopelessly outgunned by the Originals, the Salvatores, Tyler and their allied vampires.

After tearing out another heart without even looking at the vampire, Klaus sneered at Marcel.

"Are you planning on using them all as cannon fodder, guttersnipe?" he called out loudly, drowning the battle noises. "Oh, apologies, I forgot – of course you are. All of them were set to die in your quest for world dominance, were they not?" He saw his former protégé's eyes narrow. Some of Marcel's buddies were looking at their master in confusion now, questioning, disbelief clear on their features. "But how is a beggar supposed to rule the world, mate?"

With a roar, Marcel lunged at him, and Klaus could see the spelled stake appearing in his hand, the stake Marcel believed to be the last of the White Oak. Making a lightning-fast decision, he feigned to trip, stumbled forward… and let the younger vampire ram the stake into his heart.

"Who's the beggar now, Klaus, huh? Who? All your powers, all your might, and still you let yourself be outsmarted by a _beggar_! How could you possibly believe that I could be stupid enough to hand you all of the White Oak stakes? Everyone," she shouted in his booming voice, "look at the great Niklaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid. Look at him now. Defeated and about to die. Have a nice ride, _your majesty, _and say hello to oblivion!"

The pain was excruciating, but Klaus stood upright, not moving an inch while mayhem erupted around him, his eyes fixed on Marcel. The younger vampire seemed to be realizing that something was wrong and stared incredulously at his sire who was still on his feet, looking neither desiccated nor even remotely perturbed. Klaus smiled condescendingly and gazed across the rooms. All fighting had ceased by now, and everyone was gaping at him.

With a sigh, he shook his head and raised his hands in defeat. "So many years you have spent in my company, lad, and still you have not understood the single most vital thing about me." His voice lowered to a hiss. "I am _always_ one step ahead."

Damon came up at his side, grinning, his headache apparently forgotten at the sight of the stake protruding from Klaus' chest. He was about to say something when one of Marcel's cronies ran past him, apparently on his way out. Damon did not hesitate, pulling the stake out of the Original's chest and ramming it into the other vampire's heart in one fluid movement.

"Sorry, Vlad. Want it back?" he asked smugly when the man was beginning to desiccate.

Klaus chuckled. "No, but please feel free to use it on yourself." The chest wound was already healed, and his eyes sought out Elijah's, who lifted the corner of his mouth. Then he turned his gaze to his younger brother and gave him an imperceptible nod.

The youngest Mikaelson stepped into the middle of the large hall and raised his voice. "Listen, everyone. All of you are descended from one of us. If we die, so do you, as you are well aware. Marcel here," he cast a long, disdainful look at the man Klaus knew his younger sibling had loathed ever since day one, "has planned to take down all four of us, thus killing every single vampire on the planet. His partner in crime, the Bennett witch, has devised a spell to bring him back from the Other Side, plus a few _chosen ones _he has hand-picked, and who have been particularly loyal to him, spying on their friends and reporting on their every move_. _Most of them have _mysteriously_ disappeared without a trace over the last few days, have they not?" He winked at Marcel with a malicious grin, very obviously satisfied at the realization that was dawning on the younger vampire's face. There was a stir among Marcel's followers before Kol went on. "If I am not mistaken, there are three of them left alive. You, you and you." He pointed at the vampires in question. "I am certain you will be delighted to share your master's fate."

Stifling a grin, Klaus looked at Elijah who had folded his arms across his chest and was gazing back at him. He knew exactly what his brother was thinking – they were both pleasantly surprised at how well and how calmly their baby brother was handling himself.

Kol was now stepping up to Marcel, closing in until he was only a few inches away. "You have helped bringing back the two men who were responsible for what happened to my youngest brother. You have forced my sister-in-law to abandon her family without a word. You have betrayed my brother's trust repeatedly and planned to kill my entire family, not to mention every other vampire in this room. In the world. And you have been stupid enough to seriously believe that you could defy the Mikaelson family and get away with it. Pathetic." He paused and took a step back, staring into Marcel's eyes. "Payday, _beggar._"

His fingers were already grazing Marcel's skin when all of a sudden, Elijah's quiet voice interrupted the silence, "Wait, brother."

All eyes turned to the oldest Original, and after a split-second of confusion, Klaus smiled. He knew what was on his brother's mind, although he was quite certain it would surprise the hell out of everyone else.

Elijah moved to stand at Kol's side, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Apologies, Kol, but I have changed my mind."

With a look of complete bewilderment on his face, Kol stepped aside and cast an inconspicuous, questioning glance at Klaus who nodded and gestured for him to stand back. Elijah's eyes were full of contempt when he addressed Marcel now, who was very obviously expecting mercy, knowing Elijah as the moderate, most restrained and humane of the Mikaelson siblings. He had watched him stop his brothers more than once, and judging from the relief on his face, he was certain that the same was happening again now.

"I do not have any desire for my brothers to stain their hands with your peasant blood. You know, I have never quite understood what Niklaus saw in you, but that is beside the point. Errare humanum est. However, for every single of the aforementioned reasons, you deserve to die a hundred times over, and you are of course aware that you will perish sooner or later due to the nature of the spell recently cast by Miss Bennett who, I am afraid, is no longer in a position to resuscitate you." A quick, strong flash of gloating invaded Klaus at seeing Marcel's face contort into a grimace of rage, indredulity and… fear. "So you are destined to die eventually, which should probably suffice. And yet…" Elijah paused, a slow, vicious grin splitting his serene face, "… and yet it does not, for there is something else to be added to your list of transgressions, something that most might consider a minor offense. I, however, do not, and it is for this offense that I will kill you. I will kill you this very instant, you cheap lowlife, for even thinking about putting your dirty paws on my wife."

Marcel's eyes popped wide open as Elijah's hand slipped into his chest in slow motion. Raising an appreciative brow, Klaus watched evenly as his older brother took his time to remove the younger vampire's heart, halting for minutes at a time, his fingers causing as much damage as they could, dragging out Marcel's suffering and remaining entirely unperturbed by the devastating cries of pain that echoed from the walls. Klaus had to almost close his eyes at the deep satisfaction that invaded him at the sight of the younger vampire's agony. When his former protégé finally dropped to the ground after almost ten minutes of hell, liefeless and beginning to desiccate, Elijah tossed the heart over his shoulder and blew some dust from his lapels, turning towards Klaus with a grin before he stepped back and wiped his hand on a tablecloth.

The thundering silence was broken by Damon's chuckle.

"I kind of feel like applauding, but would anyone be merciful enough to get me a damn witch and end this fucking _headache?"_

* * *

Klaus and Remy were sitting on the ground of the old, almost forgotten tunnel underneath Remy's cellars, leaning against the rocky wall and sharing a bottle of Pisco, a Peruvian grape brandy. When the Spaniard had learned of the successful land offensive, he had suggested opening a bottle of Krug, but Klaus had just shaken his head. Krug was something he would only indulge in once his Caroline was safely back at his side.

The minute Marcel was dead and all of his remaining followers had surrendered, Klaus had left all further proceedings to his brothers and flashed off towards Remy's. He would waste no more time. His foremost priority was the resuscitation spell, and he would extract it from Bonnie as soon as she awoke from the narcosis. He had phoned Silv on his way, inquiring about Davina, and his sister-in-law had confirmed the young witch was indeed conscious and well, but not yet at the height of her strength. He knew he could not expedite her recovery and that it made no sense whatsoever to have her attempt a spell this complicated while her energy was not fully restored, but now that his former protégé and the Bennett witch no longer represented a threat, his mind was entirely focused on Caroline again, making his yearning for her worse than ever.

He gazed at the lifeless body of the witch who had been such a close friend to Caroline in earlier days. She was chained to the wall within a very small den, her arms and legs shackled. Klaus had also fixed her fingers to the mural with little iron rings in order to restrain any moves that could be used to conjure up any kind of magic. Bonnie was certainly powerful enough to perform many spells merely by dint of her mind, but Klaus would see to it that it did not happen to an extent that might cause damage.

"Thanks for getting the material, mate," he said, pointing at the large heap of stuff that had been piled up right next to the den. "Let us hope she will wake soon so I can finally get to work."

Remy raised an eyebrow. "You know that what you are planning to do to her is not very nice, don't you?" Klaus just scoffed and took another sip from the bottle. "But then again," Remy went on, "she is not too nice a person, either. I remember both Caroline and Elena telling me about how they had been friends for such a long time. I never met her as a White Witch, but I cannot truly fathom what has changed her this much."

With a shrug, Klaus handed him the Pisco. "I have observed many things over the centuries, but the most surprising of them was that love does not change everyone for the better. Contrary to popular belief, there are those whom love influences in a detrimental way. Do you remember Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez, back in the forties?"

"The Lonely Hearts Killers?"

"Precisely. Each of them, seen individually, was of a disturbed mind and had quite some criminal energy, and still, they did not cross the line to homicide until they had found love in each other. To a degree, we have been witnessing the same phenomenon in this case. I am certain that Miss Bennett's natural longing for power has been very unfavourably influenced by our late friend Marcel. He has always been alluring to women, witches especially, if you recall. Now here is a young witch who has not yet found her place in the world, and this powerful, charismatic vampire who rules the supernatural population of an entire city paints the most vivid pictures of how much more influential he will become with her help, and how she will be the one woman worthy of ruling the world at his side. Add the kind of sex she has probably always secretly dreamed of, and voilà, you have the recipe for a very dangerous concoction."

Bonnie was stirring now, not quite conscious but only moments from waking. The two men looked at her attentively when a subdued sound came from upstairs. "I will check," Remy said before he got to his feet and flashed towards the noise. Not a minute later, Klaus heard two pairs of steps descending the stairs towards the cellars and on to the tunnel. A woman. Frowning, he eyed the entrance only to see Elena descend into the tunnel, followed by Remy who looked at Klaus apologetically.

The brunette cast a quick glance at Bonnie before she spoke. "Will you let me try first, Klaus? Please? I mean… she was our friend, and I'm sure Caroline would prefer for her to reveal the spell without torture or beheadings."

"Elena, it is not that I cannot follow your train of thought, and I agree that Caroline would have asked me the exact same thing. My way is much more effective than appealing to a friendship that is nothing more than a ghost of the past, and I do not want to lose any more time," he replied impatiently. How could they all still cling to the old Bonnie, the one that was no longer there?

Biting her lip, Elena looked at him imploringly. "I'm asking for five minutes, no more. If I don't succeed by then, I'll be stepping aside without another word. Please, Klaus. For Caroline, not for Bonnie."

He knew that Caroline would want him to let Elena try. Everything inside him screamed to just ignore the doppelganger and go ahead with what he had planned. But she was right. Caroline would have a hard time forgiving him if he did not let her friend try. "Five minutes. Not a second longer." Moving out of Bonnie's field of vision and down the tunnel, he settled against the wall next to the entrance, together with Remy, far enough away from the witch so she would not sense their presence right away. Elena nodded and gave him a small smile before she sat on the ground in front of the little den, her eyes on her high school friend. It took another few minutes until Bonnie finally regained consciousness.

"Lena," she rasped in a scratchy voice, "where am I? What happened? I remember… crap, I remember Klaus abducting me. So he brought me here. But what are you…?"

"Bonnie, listen to me. Caroline is dead," Elena said determinedly. The witch's sharp intake of breath told Klaus that the news had taken her by surprise. "The reasons behind that don't really matter right now. What matters is that Care is on the Other Side, and we need to bring her back. You're the only one who can, at least when it comes to reviving her permanently. Help us. Please."

An incredulous laugh sounded from the den. "You've got to be kidding me, Lena. I've seen Klaus' Signum. It's still there, so she can't have died. What are you up to?"

With a shrug, Elena countered, "Shouldn't you know that no rules are set in stone when it comes to everything supernatural? Care died, and Klaus has kept the mark anyway. But that's really not what I wanted to talk to you about. You need to bring her back, for all of us. She belongs here, with us, and I think you know that."

"Bringing her back would mean bringing her back for _Klaus._ I would never move so much as a finger to help him of all people, and quite frankly, I still can't get over the fact that you're siding with that bastard. Don't you remember any of what he has done to all of us? To your aunt Jenna, to _you,_ Lena?"

Klaus could see Elena's jaw setting. "Bonnie, this is about _Caroline!_ About your friend and mine, and not about taking revenge on Klaus. She is dead, don't you get that? And do you seriously believe she deserves to be on the Other Side? Has Marcel twisted your brain – and your heart – in such a way that you no longer remember who your friends are?"

"You have no idea what Marcel can do. He helps me broaden my mind, and he is giving my life a meaning it hasn't had before. I know where I belong, and I know who my family is now."

Elena straightened up, and Klaus saw a her mouth twitch into a merciless smile. "You mean, _was._" He had to grin at that. Who would have suspected the tame little doppelganger had her moments of nastiness?

There was the sound of rattling metal when Bonnie tried to escape from her restraints. "What are you implying?" she snapped at Elena, but no one was at a loss to hear the tremor in her voice.

"Marcel is dead, Bonnie. I know that according to your plan, he was to die anyway and you were going to resuscitate him. But he wasn't to die just yet, was he? Well, part one is accomplished. He _is_ dead. But he will not return, and you can take my word for that. Instead, you will tell me how the resuscitation spell works so it can be performed on Caroline."

A cry echoed through the tunnel, and Klaus saw Elena flinch. Apparently, Bonnie was attempting to give her migraine, but the spell Davina had cast on everyone in order to resist regular magic attacks was still holding up. When Bonnie stopped her assault, Elena sadly shook her head. "I didn't like him much, but I realize that you loved him, Bonnie. But please, _please,_ help us bring Caroline back. For old times' sake. For our friendship, or for what it has been at some point."

After a long moment of silence, Bonnie's tearful voice resounded from the walls.

"Never."

Elena looked like she was going to beg the witch again but then decided against it. "I don't want you to suffer, Bonnie, but I simply don't get just how you could turn into the person I am looking at right now. Part of me will always love you, but… you're no longer my friend." With that, the brunette leaped to her feet and shook her head. "Good luck," she whispered before she turned on her heel and stormed towards the exit. Klaus saw a tear escaping her when she hurried past him, giving him a quick nod before she left.

He could have told Elena it was a waste of time. Black Witches did not usually respond to pleas and appeals to their compassion. Rolling his eyes, he rose and quietly walked towards the little den. When he came into sight, the witch hissed at him.

"You killed him, didn't you? He was your friend at some point, and you killed him in cold blood, the way you do with everyone in the end, no matter how loyal they once were to you."

"I beg to differ, witch," he replied icily, "apart from the fact that it was his intention to kill _me_, he was never my friend, and even less was he ever loyal. You of all people should know his loyalty was nothing but a spectre, or did your friends on the Other Side not tell you that while he was romancing you, he was also sleeping with Sophie Devereaux and a number of other witches? Not counting some of the vampires in his entourage and the fact that he was very determinedly pursuing my brother's wife. Oh, and not to forget his infatuation with Salvatore the Elder."

Bonnie's face contorted into a pained grimace, her eyes wide and incredulous. "You're lying!" she shouted. "You're nothing but a dirty liar, and you seriously believe I'm falling for your bullshit? He would never have betrayed me, _never!_"

Klaus merely shrugged. "If you say so."

He was rather certain that deep down, hidden in the steepest abyss of what was left of her heart, the witch knew the truth. And he knew she had very resolutely turned a blind eye on everything that could have made her doubt Marcel, aided by the special allure he had exerted over her. With a light grin, he reveled in how painful it would be for her to return to reality after such a long period of denial and delusion.

"Now, back to the business at hand. I want the resuscitation spell, witch, and I want it now and in its entirety."

With a slightly hysterical laugh, Bonnie rested her head against the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Dream on, asshole."

Pursing his lips and stroking his chin for a moment, Klaus felt the slight pressure in his head again. He remained silent, waiting to see what else she would come up with. An instant later, he felt a certain pain within the muscles of his arms, legs and stomach. Giving Bonnie a light grin, he ignored the ache and took the bag of ready-mix concrete, tearing it open and grabbing a couple of bricks and the trowel. Without sparing her another glance, he began to lay the bricks, cementing them with concrete one by one at human speed. When the ground layer was finished, he added the next one. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw nameless panic creep into Bonnie's features.

_Phobiæ. Always so very handy._

When he arrived at the fourth layer, the witch whispered tonelessly, "Don't. Please don't."

"Well, you should have bargained, Miss Bennett. But do rest assured that you will have plenty of time to reflect on your fate. Witches do not die of hunger or thirst as quickly as humans do. In fact, I have seen a warlock being bricked in once, a few hundred years ago, and he managed to survive for almost two months before he finally took his leave from this world. And you are much younger and more powerful than he was, even if your current pitiful attempts at debilitating me are rather pathetic. It is always a woeful sight to behold when a witch's or warlock's powers leave them in the face of something they fear more than death itself." He paused to look at her horror-stricken face and smiled evilly. Oh, Big Bad Klaus had most definitely not left the building. A thought crossed his mind now, and he knew he would probably have hell to endure if Caroline ever learned of this, but it would be worth it.

"You know," he began as he added another brick, his voice lowering to the eerie whisper he only ever used when he wanted to truly induce mortal fear, "it has been a while since I have buried anyone alive. Since giving someone that feeling you are beginning to experience right now. It starts with a slight tingle in your fingers when you realize what is about to happen to you, does it not? Then this prickling moves to spread throughout your hands, your arms and your entire body, but it is not a pleasant sensation. You begin to believe you are about to be paralyzed with fear. The next thing you notice is the cold which slowly diffuses from your heart into every fiber of you. Your breathing accelerates a little more with each passing second until you arrive at full-fledged hyperventilation. That is the moment when the last inkling of rationality leaves your brain and you can no longer think. All there is left is panic… the knowledge that no one will know where you are… no one will save you… it is just you and your all-consuming, mortal fear." He finished another layer. The wall had now reached the height of his hips. He was working at human speed for the sake of effect. She was to live through every single moment of this.

Bonnie was completely motionless, her eyes hypnotized. Klaus knew that very many people reacted to true terror with paralysis, but the cataclysm would befall her eventually and it would be devastating. Only those who had gone through pure, life-threatening panic at least once during their existence would ever be able to grasp that it was the most calamitous force of all. Not the fear of being stalked by an enemy, not the horror at witnessing the worst of slaughters. The terror that came from within one's own mind was unparalleled.

"And yes, I know what it is like, witch. I know perfectly well how you are feeling at this very moment, and I am aware of what lies ahead of you. Once you lose your countenance, you will scream and beg, cry and curse the Gods. You will call for your mother, your father, your teddy bear. Your brain will be entirely devoid of rationality and all that will be left is madness. And the worst of it is that you will consciously experience your gradual journey to insanity, knowing that there is nothing, _nothing _you can do to stop it." His grin was pure, unadulterated malice. He knew what he was doing to her. And he enjoyed it immensely. Using someone's phobia, especially when it was as highly developed as it was in Bonnie, was always a safe bet. This kind of deep-rooted fear was so irrational there was little remedy against it once it began to unfold.

With one last look at the witch's face, he reverted to full Original speed. It took him no more than two minutes to finish the wall, filling the remaining little holes with concrete until a solid brick mural separated the den from the rest of the tunnel. Bonnie was left in complete darkness, chained to the wall, exposed to her mortal fears. Klaus noticed some very light pressure hitting the wall, but the witch's magic was so weakened by panic that she could not put it to use.

"Enjoy your solitary confinement, Miss Bennett. I am certain that, although it might take her some time, the new Original Witch will be more than capable of following your path and expanding the temporary resuscitation spell to a permanent one. It is unfortunate that no one will give a rat's ass that you are down here, so you will probably not remain in the loop of any developments." He paused. "I wish I could say that it was nice to have met you, but I would be lying. Goodbye." Walking towards the exit, he could see Remy's questioning gaze.

And that was when the screaming started.

* * *

He sat there for almost an hour, listening to Bonnie's sounds of panic. They were not always screams. Sometimes, they were mere whimpers, pleas or gasps, but Klaus knew that lowering her voice did not mean Bonnie's fear was subsiding. On the contrary, that was when the terror was usually at its worst – screams meant an outlet, a release, and silence was a sign that the horrors were working their magic inside. No pun intended, of course. What made it even worse for the witch was the fact that she was shackled to the wall. When gripped by panic, the natural tendency was to curl into a ball, wrap one's arms around oneself or tense all muscles in a futile attempt to push the fears out of one's body. Bonnie could do none of those things, which made her feel even more exposed, and she was trapped in complete and utter darkness. There was no way for her to focus her mind on anything other than herself, and he seriously doubted she had anything resembling a Memory Palace to help her escape her mortal fear even for a little while.

Klaus smiled inwardly. He had done this exact same thing quite a few times before, to enemies whose deepest fear had resembled Bonnie's, just as he had used great heights to subdue those suffering from intense cases of vertigo. There were so many convenient phobiæ, and he had always preferred to use a person's weaknesses, to play cruel games with their minds, over compulsion. Not so long ago, in the nineties, he had encountered someone with a mortal fear of crowds, a condition the modern medical world called enochlophobia. It had been in the Philippines, and the man had been a vampire very well connected to the supernatural world in Asia. As he had already suffered from that specific fear during his human days, it had magnified once he had been turned. Klaus had wanted to extract information on Mikael who had last been sighted in Singapore a year earlier, but the vampire had been on vervain and was not willing to speak. Fortunately for Klaus – and less fortunately for the other vampire – it had been the time of Pope John Paul's visit to Manila, and the pontiff attracted one of the largest peaceful gatherings ever recorded. Klaus remembered that even he had been impressed by that crowd. He had dragged the man right into the center of the immense congregation, which was later said to have exceeded five million, and left him there. It had been very amusing to watch, and right before the man's devastating panic attack had been about to cause a stampede, he had pulled him out and carried him to a nearby rooftop with a perfect view of the masses. The vampire had sung like a canary.

After another while, when he no longer heard any sounds other than the witch's labored breathing, he approached the makeshift wall again.

"Bonnie." The metal shackles rattled quietly. "I wonder, have you ever seen a Dutch film called 'The Vanishing'? Its original title is 'Spoorloos'. No, you probably have not. If at all, you would have watched the poorly done remake with Kiefer Sutherland. Ah well, it does not matter. Suffice it to say that at the end of said film, the protagonist wakes up in a wooden box with nothing but a lighter. I have to admit that this precise scene in the original film was one of the most well-played I have ever seen. The panic in the actor's eyes was very convincing, which leads me to believe he had experienced this extreme form of claustrophobia himself before he made the film. And… as Remy will want to use his cellar without constantly being reminded of his subtenant, it just gave me an idea." He fell silent. Sometimes you just had to let the impact of your words settle in.

And it did.

"No!" Bonnie's muffled voice sounded from within the den. "No! No! Klaus, I'll do whatever you want, I'll bring Caroline back myself! Anything!"

With a satisfied smile, Klaus sat down and leaned against the wall. "I do not trust you, Miss Bennett, therefore I much prefer my idea. But I am ready to compromise. You may select the interior of your coffin, and as I am in a benevolent mood today, I will also agree to provide you with a flashlight and two or three books of your choosing. Although I highly doubt that you will be able to understand a single word once your mind has finally subsided to delirium. Still, I know how slowly time goes by when you have nothing to think of but your own demons. So tell me – would you prefer satin covers, or do you feel more comfortable in good old-fashioned linen? And let me know what your books of choice are, although I would highly recommend nothing overly large or heavy which might take up too much of what little space there is in a coffin."

His grin widened when Bonnie shrieked, "Klaus, I swear to you, I will give you the spell! If you don't want me to do it, I will explain the details to any witch you name! Just please, _please,_ don't do this! Oh God, I'm begging you!"

The despair in the witch's voice was solid and real, and he knew she believed every word he had said. And with good reason, for if she had still not revealed the spell to him after all of this, he _would_ have buried her alive for a while.

"Tell me, then."

After he had written down everything Bonnie had dictated, he nodded to himself. It sounded conclusive, but he would have Davina and Silv make certain of it. "I will verify whether this spell actually works the way it is supposed to, and if so, I will send someone you will describe the exact sequence of hands and fingers to. If you told the truth, you will remain here until your fate has been decided, but I will be kind enough to tear down the wall. If you omitted or changed only the smallest detail, I will bury you deep enough for you to sense the proximity of Earth's core."


	45. Momzilla

**D'akujem vel'mi pekne, Slovensko! :)**

**And as always, a big thank you to the guest reviewers whom I can't reach via PM - the Anons, Dillan, Bekki, Marie, Anahita20, Justine and Klaroline! Oh, and a shout-out to the guest who reviewed Dungeons today! Thanks! :)  
**

**Everyone who is taking the time to read, review, follow, favourite... you keep making my day, and I can't believe it's almost over! Thanks so very, very much, all of you!**

**Let's see how Caroline is doing today... ;)**

**Please enjoy!**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

MOMZILLA

It took Caroline quite some self-persuasion to finally and very reluctantly leave Ralph. More than once during their long conversation, she wondered how different a direction Klaus' life would have taken with Ralph as a father. The werewolf was friendly, easygoing and open, which surprised her all the more considering his long stint on the Other Side and his self-imposed isolation in these forsaken hills. With an inward shake of her head, she looked at Van Tale who had been rather silent ever since they had entered Ralph's cavern. She had offered him to leave and let her make her own way back to sector three, but he had stayed. It was clear he was desperate for a disruption of his eternal routine, and just as keen on hearing from the Plane of the Living, even when the stories told were not his own family's.

She had been touched when Ralph had finally taken her hand and muttered, "Tell Niklaus that in spite of everything he may have done wrong over the centuries, I will always be glad to know that he is my natural son. I should have claimed him as mine during our living years, and it is the one thing I regret the most. I was too much of a coward to face Mikael, I admit it, even though the way he treated Niklaus like a leper was very hard to watch, especially as the boy deserved none of it, not in the very least. Just… tell him I am sorry, will you? I have the feeling you will not be down here with us for very much longer. You certainly do not belong here. But I am very delighted to have met you, Caroline, and I am happy for Niklaus to have found a woman as brave, loyal and loving as you are. Not many of us can count themselves that lucky."

There had been a big lump in her throat, and more than anything she wished for Klaus to know that contrary to Esther and Mikael, his biological father had cared for him, even if only from a distance. She couldn't wait to tell him about it, although she suspected he would be far less enthusiastic than she was.

They had just leaped from one hill to the next when Van Tale halted and turned to look at her. "You will be returning to the Plane of the Living, I can feel it, too. It is clear that your death was no accident. You came on purpose, and you will leave again soon. Can I therefore ask something of you?"

Gazing at him curiously, Caroline nodded. "I would never have found Ralph without you, so of course. Just name it."

With something she supposed was meant to be a smile, the warlock spoke again. "One descendant of my line is left, the last in a very long succession of Van Tale warlocks. His name is Louis Van Tale. He is very young, barely fourteen years of age, and he has not yet learned of his heritage. He lives with a foster family in Paris as both of his real parents have died when he was still an infant. I would like you to give me your word that your family will hold the peace with him once he learns who he is. I cannot yet determine whether he will be a Black or a White Warlock, it is too early, but whichever art he finally chooses, let him live."

"If he does not threaten any of my family members and close friends, then yes. I will give you my word, Van Tale. What is your first name, anyway?" she inquired, just realizing that he had only ever been called by his last name in her presence.

Now he did smile, and it made his handsome face truly beautiful, although in a very dark way. "It is Lau."

Caroline smiled back at him. "Okay, Lau, we have a deal. Can I ask you a question?"

"By all means."

She hesitated. "Had you gone on directly to the Eternal Realm, where do you think you would have ended up?"

He pursed his lips. "I could not say. There were a few things I have done during my living years that would well have qualified me for Padma. I am not an overly kind or good man, I have committed a number of crimes and I have welcomed Black Magic wholeheartedly, even after it was revealed to me what the Other Side truly was. I craved the power, and I never looked back. But I have been here for such a long time that I can no longer remember what my essence was before I turned to darkness. I can therefore not answer your question."

For some reason, Caroline hoped he would not end up in Padma. She recalled how his eyes had turned soft upon mentioning that he had known someone like her a very long time ago. He was dark, yes, and there could be no doubt he had an air of ruthlessness about him, but there was more to the warlock than just that, she was sure. Just like there was to Klaus.

Looking at her for a long while, Van Tale finally spoke again. "You will not have to come back all the way to the village, you can leave for another sector from here. Close your eyes and concentrate on the exact place you need to travel to. If you do not know, just think of the sector and make your way from wherever you arrive."

Caroline nodded and held out her hand. "Thank you, Lau. I'm…not quite sure what to say when leaving someone behind in purgatory, to be honest. So just… thank you."

He surprised them both by taking her hand and bowing over it, his lips not quite touching her skin. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Caroline. And rest assured, there are not many pleasures down here. Go back to the Plane of the Living, for that is where you belong. And… give my greetings to Klaus. He will remember me."

Before Caroline could say anything, the warlock leaped towards the next hill. She stared after him for a long moment before she took a last look around. _Get out of this nightmare. Fast._ Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the wasteland below the castle grounds in sector three.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the hazy blackness of the immense castle walls. The next was Alaric's livid face.

"Where have you been all this time, for crying out loud? I was going nuts with worry that they found a way to keep you there! Apart from the fact that I had to listen to that crazy husband of yours yell at me for letting you go there in the first place!"

Her heart clenched with joy, longing and surprise. "Wait, what? You spoke to Klaus? How? When? Is he okay? Is he holding it together? How has he…"

Alaric raised his hands. "Whoa, slow down!" He shook his head. "It eludes me how you could have fallen for that guy the way you did, but what's done is done." He began to relate his conversation with Klaus and her friends, telling her how he had immediately raced out of the castle when he had felt the first inkling of contact so that they could speak freely. When he arrived at Klaus' message for her, Caroline felt like crying. _I'm sorry that I made you anxious. And I love you so endlessly… Even here, my feelings grow stronger rather than weaker. I can't wait to return to you, my love!_

To distract herself from her desperate yearning for Klaus, she told Alaric everything about her stay in sector six, about Sawney, Mikael, Van Tale, Ralph and the Pits. She left out any descriptions of the village, just in case anyone _did _overhear. After she had finished her story, Alaric pinched the bridge of his nose.

"There has been quite the uproar in sectors one and two, I hear. Rumour has it that a new Original Witch has been created on the Plane of the Living, therefore I suppose that the gang must have been successful. You won't be here for very much longer, Caroline, and I'm beyond relieved at that."

She interrupted him excitedly. "That means that we can revive you, too! You can return, go badass with Damon, and…"

He held up a hand, and Caroline flinched at the quick flicker of pain in his eyes. "You forget that to resuscitate someone, you need blood from relative. Or a supply of your own blood that has been stored before you die. I have no family members left."

Stunned into silence, she shook her head, devastation clear on her face. How could she have become all enthusiastic and bubbly when Alaric would have to remain here after all, or go on to the Eternal Realm? She could have kicked herself. "I'm sorry," she whispered, abashed. "I didn't think."

"Don't worry about it," he smiled. "I have accepted my fate, Caroline. That does not automatically imply that I like it, but I can cope. And the prospect of moving on to the Eternal Realm makes many things easier. So I can only ask you guys to put every ounce of your energy into making it happen, okay?"

Caroline pulled him into a bear hug and nodded fiercely. Then she took a step back and swallowed. "Alaric, I have to see Esther. Can I find her in sector two and if yes, where exactly?"

He shook his head determinedly. "You are most definitely not going anywhere, and even less where I cannot follow. I'm sure they will be resuscitating you very shortly, and I don't want to risk your getting stuck anywhere. The witches and warlocks only have a fraction of the powers they have on Earth, but they still have some. And Esther is the Original Witch. Okay, one of two," he chuckled. "Her powers may have diminished, but what if she has the means to keep you here, even when they try to revive you? Do you want that? Do you want to go on to the Eternal Realm instead of back to Earth, back to Klaus where you belong?"

_I hadn't thought of that. Alaric might be right, it _is_ possible that Esther can tie me down here. But I need to speak with her! I want to make her aware of what's going to happen, and I want her to know that her great plan of early retirement in the Eternal Realm's senior citizen's colony has failed. She will go to Padma, that much is clear, and I want her to know. It's what Klaus would do, and I want to do it for him. She deserves to suffer._

"Sorry, but I really have to see her. I need to talk to her. Tell me where to land in sector two, please! You're right, I probably don't have much time, but I have to try. Please, Alaric!"

Exasperated, he threw his hands in the air. "Stop looking at me with those big puppy dog eyes! You know I can't really tie you to a tree anyway. Caroline, whatever it is you have to say to Esther, it can't be important enough for you to risk getting trapped down here! Seriously, use your head, girl!"

"No," she whispered, "I'm using my heart. I want to do this for Klaus. It's not vital, that's true, but still…"

Alaric groaned, but then he spoke again. "As I said, I can't keep you from doing this. And I know you won't listen to me, so the only thing I can do is point you in the direction so you won't have to search the entire sector and waste any time. But I'll kick your ass if you get yourself into anything, is that clear? Good. Now, I haven't been to sector two, but it has been described to me. There are many scattered villages where the witches and warlocks live. Esther, however, is something of an outcast. She lives somewhere in the woods, in relative isolation, if you will forgive my use of the term 'living'. Concentrate on a forest, a lonely hut and on Esther's face. It should work. Try to avoid contact with any witches or warlocks, if possible. They keep their distance from Esther, but still, be cautious. Most of them hate vampires and will happily do anything to make you uneasy and unhinge your mind." He paused. "Look, Caroline, I might not see you again if the gang gets their act together and brings you back to Earth soon. Take care of yourself and of the others, especially Elena. I know she has Damon now, but you're her closest friend. She needs you, too. Oh, and tell Damon that both Rose and I will come to haunt him if he doesn't behave."

Shaking her head and trying to ignore the way her heart clenched painfully at having to leave Alaric behind, she chuckled. "When would Damon ever behave?"

"Truer words have never been spoken," Alaric grinned. "Just go on watching out for each other the way you guys always have. Can you promise me that?"

Hugging him again, she nodded and kissed his cheek. It felt strange, what with the fact that they were only partly corporeal. "I promise. And I swear we will do everything possible to get this done as quickly as we can. Maybe Davina can contact you from time to time, even in the Eternal Realm?"

"I'd like that. Hurry up now."

With one last look and a bright smile for Alaric, she closed her eyes and concentrated again.

* * *

Sector two looked different. It seemed to consist of nothing but forests, and they were not the crippled, leafless trees of the other areas, they were large, dark firs. It looked exactly the way she had always imagined enchanted forests… only that this was anything but. Focusing on her surroundings, she detected something that did indeed resemble a hut, about five hundred yards away. It was relatively large and didn't look remotely as shabby as the ones in sector six had. Well, they were in a somewhat more privileged zone after all.

When she approached the dwelling, Caroline wondered what she was going to say to Esther. She would need to improvise, and she should probably just let her heart speak – although it was doubtful Esther would understand a single word. That woman had never had a heart in the first place.

The door opened, and Caroline sighed with relief. It was the Original Witch in all her glory, looking just the way Caroline remembered her from her brief appearance in Mystic Falls. Her eyes seemed to bulge out of the sockets at seeing Caroline, and for a split second, the complete bewilderment on Klaus' mother's face gave her a deep satisfaction. She supposed it would have to be contributed to Esther's isolation that she hadn't yet become aware of Caroline's death. _Cool._

"Caroline," the older woman gasped, "what are you doing here? How did Niklaus let you _die_? You were not supposed to…"

"Thwart your elaborate plan of tying me to the remaining Pale Blood bearers for the rest of eternity so Klaus would be susceptible to blackmail at any point in time? So that your children would be in permanent danger?" Caroline snapped. "I should probably apologize, dear _mother,_ but to quote one of my brothers-in-law – I have never been less sorry for anything in my entire life. I died, your spell is broken. How about that?"

Esther sat down on one of the steps that led up to her door. She seemed to have a hard time realizing what had happened. "That means… that means the Other Side will live on, will it not?" she mumbled, her voice betraying her anxiety. "I am trapped for the remainder of eternity." It was the first time Caroline had ever witnessed Esther without her usual air of haughtiness that even showed when she used someone else's body. She folded her arms over her chest.

"Part one of that statement is false. The Other Side _will_ go down." Esther's head jerked up, and Caroline could see clearly how hope ignited in her eyes when she pointed to her golden Signum which had apparently escaped Esther's notice so far. "Being trapped forever… well, that's a different story. It would seem that you haven't done your homework properly. In fact, when you went into planning your oh-so-brilliant scheme, you should probably have taken the time for a little chat with your former lover who could have told you a thing or two about the Eternal Realm." She fell silent and leaned against a tree, watching Esther evenly.

The witch rose from the steps and came towards her. "What do you mean?" she hissed and for an instant, the menace in her face scared Caroline. But then she reminded herself that she was already dead, and that this was the Other Side. Fear belonged here, it was a natural feeling for everyone who had to endure an existence on this plane. As was malice. She smiled viciously, and she knew her smile could be almost as eerie as Klaus' when she wanted it to be.

"You do remember that Ralph came from the Eternal Realm? That he accomplished something actually impossible just to see you again? And that you laughed in his face and cursed him, just the way you did with Klaus all those centuries ago? But I'm digressing. I spoke to Ralph not so long ago, Esther, asking him what to expect in the Eternal Realm. He described it to me very thoroughly." She paused for mere showmanship. "Have you ever heard of a place called Padma?"

There was confusion on Esther's face as she was standing in front of her now. Caroline wondered how a woman who had been on the Other Side for a thousand years, who was the Original Witch and who had watched her children and her husband scheme, battle and wreak havoc on the Plane of the Living, had not spared one thought to whether the Eternal Realm could possibly hold a fate in store that surpassed even the Other Side.

"I am certain that Ralph has woven quite an intriguing tale about _life_ in the Eternal Realm. So whatever he said Padma is, you may rest assured it is nothing but a figment of his wanton imagination." But there was a hint of doubt in Esther's voice.

Caroline inclined her head, opening her hands. "If you say so. After all, you do know him better than I ever could, don't you? He fathered two of your children. So yeah, everything he said is probably nothing but a legend. Well then, it was interesting to see you. I'll be on my way." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off into the forest. An instant later, Esther's voice cut through the murky darkness.

"Wait. What did he say about the Eternal Realm?"

Suppressing a triumphant smile, Caroline turned around and slowly walked back towards the Original Witch. "Well, if you are really interested in fictional descriptions – have you ever been to sector six?"

Esther nodded. "Twice, but it was a long time ago. No one who can help it would ever enter that sector."

"And you have seen the Pits?"

Grinding her teeth, the older woman raised an eyebrow. "So have you, I presume? Well, not the most pleasant of sights. But what do they have to do with the Eternal Realm?"

"Did you seriously believe that the Eternal Realm is all about rainbows and unicorns and peace? And there I thought I was naïve. Anyhow, there is this one area called Padma. Just imagine the Pits in sector six, add a bit of everlasting frostiness, a couple of ongoing hallucinations and continuous hovering on the brink of madness, and there you have it. Padma in all its glory. Wow, I still can't get over the fact that you actually didn't know anything about it!"

As far as at all possible, Esther had grown pale. "You are lying."

Caroline smiled inwardly. She had learned a thing or two from Klaus and Elijah. Her normal reaction would have been to give Esther more details, to insist on how everything she had said was the truth and on how she would swear to it if need be. But now she just raised her hands and shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?" _He would be so proud of me!_

And it worked. Esther was looking increasingly aggravated, staring at her with wide, incredulous eyes. "I would have heard about something like that by now!"

With another shrug, Caroline asked, "From whom? Apart from Ralph, no one's ever been in the Eternal Realm and came to the Other Side afterwards."

There was a very long silence. The witch held on to a tree for support, her eyes burning with fear while Caroline watched her indifferently. This woman had brought so much pain and suffering into the world, just like Mikael had. Caroline would never understand just how people could renounce every little flicker of goodness in them and make it their life's mission to hurt and subdue others. Klaus had been like that, too, but to a much lesser extent. And even more importantly, contrary to his mother and stepfather he had always known what love was. Long before he had met her. He had always loved his siblings, he had adored his baby brother Henrik, and to this day he would gladly give his life for any of them. That was the big difference. In his core, he was not evil. He had been shaped by circumstance, and his greatest sin had been that he had taken full advantage of what he had become. Maybe he had even enjoyed it at times. But she knew that love had brought out his other, buried qualities more and more often, and as she would continue to love him until all time ended, she was confident that they would discover an increasing number of those qualities. Well, as long as he didn't completely shed badass Klaus. The guy was kind of hot.

Esther awoke from her daze and fixed Caroline with her piercing eyes. "I believe the Old Witches will be very interested to hear about the plan."

"And then what?" Caroline retorted. "They are here, and there will never be time enough to impede what is going to happen. As soon as I'm back on Earth, the Other Side will fall. Live with it, _mother-in-law._ You lost. But maybe it's some consolation that the spell on Mikael will break once he moves on to the Eternal Realm, so you and he can take scenic strolls through Padma together."

With an evil grin, Esther raised her hand. "If I go down, so will Niklaus. Through you. You will either stay on the Other Side, or go on to the Eternal Realm from where he cannot revive you permanently. You know that Bonnie's spell only works for those rooted to the Other Side? Resuscitations from the Eternal Realm are still just temporary. Not even Miss Bennett is aware of that, by the way."

All of a sudden, Caroline felt a leaden heaviness sink into her. It was like all of her limbs had turned into solid rock, and she could no longer move.

* * *

"It is not working."

Everything inside Klaus went ice-cold at Davina's whispered words. They were all gathered in the study. The invisibility spell had been lifted from Caroline's body which Klaus had carefully placed on the floorboards. Candles were surrounding her, and Davina had been working hard on the preparations for the spell. From his trip to Mystic Falls when he had spoken to Tyler, Stefan had brought a supply of Sheriff Forbes' blood which Klaus had asked him to collect. At that time, he had not even been sure why, but he thanked heavens for his intuition. He had also kept a small amount of Caroline's own blood refrigerated, and it had been used together with her mother's in order to strengthen the magic.

But nothing happened. They all felt the energy emanating from Davina, and Klaus knew it was one of the strongest spells he had ever witnessed. So Bonnie must have betrayed them after all.

"I'll kill that stupid witch," he gritted out between clenched teeth. "After I bury her. She will reveal the true spell, or I…"

He was interrupted by Davina who was shaking her head. "No, Klaus. The spell is perfect. It is performing flawlessly. The problem is on the Other Side. I fear that something is keeping Caroline from being pulled back into our world, and I cannot tell you what it is."

Now he was gripped by white-hot panic, not unlike the one he had seen in Bonnie's eyes when he had first begun to wall her in. "Think!" he commanded. "You too, Silv, there has to be something we can do. Come on, everyone, use your brains!" He was almost shouting by now and for once, Elijah made no attempt at calming him down. It would have been futile, anyway. Pacing back and forth, he stopped dead after a few minutes. _Of course._ Without another word, he stormed out of the house and flashed back to Remy's.

The bar had been opened to the supernatural public again and it was relatively crowded, as everyone was keen on discussing the new world order with Kol as leader of the community, and everything else that had lately happened. Klaus did not spare anyone a glance. He raced past Remy, ignoring his quizzical gaze, and opened the trap door to the cellars. An instant later, he was standing in front of Bonnie again.

"Witch," he snapped, "I have little time and even less patience for any games now. Caroline cannot be brought back as something seems to be keeping her on the Other Side. Tell me what to do, or by all the Gods, you will end up buried beneath Lake Pontchartrain before you witness another dawn."

Bonnie's face was ashen, and he could see resignation on her features as she spoke in a very subdued tone. "She might have been grounded to the Other Side. From what I hear, it is some sort of increased gravity, one of the few spells that work really well down there, or so I've been told. To pull someone from the Other Side who has been anchored that way is immensely difficult. You need to find something that overcomes the gravity, something so strong it obliterates the heavy weight that binds her to the plane."

"What can it be?" Klaus bellowed. He was in absolutely no mood to solve riddles.

Shaking her head, the witch replied, "I don't know." A hint of fear crept into her voice. "Please believe me. I really don't know. You have to find something that is stronger than the pull of the Other Side, that is all I can tell you. Maybe it is a larger amount of her blood, or you can try to have a couple of witches execute the spell together to strengthen it. I honestly have no idea. Believe me, _please!_"

Quelling the urge to slap the witch in the face, he just turned around and stormed out of the cellars, past Remy and into the streets of the city. He ran for a few moments until he stopped dead and let his head fall back, gazing unseeingly at the skies. What a fool he was! Panic really did cloud people's minds, did it not? Even his own. Shaking his head at himself, he flashed back home and burst into the study. No one had left, and they seemed to have been discussing options during his absence, judging by the look of deep concentration on everyone's faces. He determinedly walked towards the liquor cabinet and grabbed a glass.

"Davina. Use my blood instead of her mother's."

"But… you are not related, it will not work like that," the witch objected, staring at Klaus who was just biting his wrist and letting his blood pour into the whisky tumbler. He looked up at her and smiled. The second he had seen the first drop of his blood fall into the glass, he had known he was right. There was nothing as strong as his Golden Blood, the one thing that could actually destroy the Other Side. It had been her love for him, his love for her, their _bond_, that had made his blood what it was now, and this bond would bring Caroline back to him.

Handing Davina the tumbler, he nodded. "Do it. Please." The young witch, who was now an Original in her own right, looked at Silv who assented as well.

"It sounds right somehow. Try."

The preparations took another long while, as Davina had to concoct an entirely new potion. There were many ingredients to utilize, many incantations to be spoken. For a moment, Klaus' eyes wandered to his younger brother whose gaze never left the witch, and he had to smile briefly. Kol was as irrevocably hooked as all other Mikaelson siblings were on their respective lovers, and just before he returned his attention to the spell, Klaus fleetingly wondered how his younger brother would cope with all the unfamiliar feelings. It would be amusing to watch.

Once Davina finished the potion, she walked over to Caroline's body, kneeling down next to it. The candles flared up as she carefully trickled the purple liquid onto his wife's lips. When she had used up about half of the contents of the little jar, she raised her hands and began to speak. Instinctively, Klaus touched his Signum and closed his eyes, concentrating on nothing but their bond and his overwhelming feelings for her. He recalled the dream they had shared, and how deeply connected they had both felt the night their Signum had turned golden. How incredibly close they were every minute of every day. Her presence in his system had not been lessened by her death, on the contrary.

They belonged with each other, and the simple truth was that not even death could ever shake their union.

* * *

Caroline stood frozen, not able to move so much as a toe, staring at Esther who was smirking back at her. She had felt a pull earlier, and something told her that they had been trying to bring her back, but it wasn't working. God, she hoped Klaus wouldn't go ballistic up there… if only there was some way to let them know about Esther's spell!

"Well, it would seem that Niklaus was attempting to resuscitate you not too long ago, was he not? What a remarkable timing – just a few moments too late." The witch sat on the steps of her hut again, leaning back and watching Caroline with glee. "It shall be amusing to behold just how many times he will attempt to have you revived until he finally gives up."

Now Caroline smiled, and it was a genuine, loving smile. "He never will, Esther. However long it takes, my husband will find a way to bring me back, and however long it takes, I will stand here, immobilized, waiting for him. I know you don't understand what love is, and quite honestly, I even feel a little sorry for you. You have been there for over a thousand years, and not once have you been capable of feeling how incredibly wonderful it is to truly love someone. Neither were you able to accept or appreciate the love that has been given to you. By your children, in earlier days, and by Ralph."

She paused and smiled at Esther again. "Even if I have to spend the rest of eternity glued to this place, I will be happier than you have ever been, because I love. And I'm being loved. I'll never be lonely again, not even here. And I have to thank you for giving life to the man who loves me so deeply and unconditionally. So thank you, Esther. For giving me Niklaus."

The witch was about to scoff and give a harsh riposte when Caroline sensed the pull again. This time, it was so strong she felt it was sweeping her off her feet and lifting her from the darkness that had been surrounding her ever since she had died. Right before everything became a blur, she cast one last look at Esther who was staring at her disappearing frame in horror.

_Have fun in Padma, bitch._


	46. Two Halves of the Whole

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**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

TWO HALVES OF THE WHOLE

She opened her eyes with great effort, feeling like she had just been put through a meat grinder. Her limbs and her entire body felt heavy, and she wondered for a moment whether it was due to the strange spell Esther had cast on her or the return to 'normal' gravity. Probably the latter. Gradually lifting herself onto her elbows, she blinked a couple of times and looked straight into Klaus' anguished eyes.

Her heart all but exploded.

"Niklaus," she whispered breathlessly, not bothering to stop the tears that were beginning to flood from her eyes.

In a blur, he was at her side and crushed her to him, his hands in her hair, his lips on her face, kissing her as if his life depended on it. _And it does. Like mine depends on him._ She heard the faint noises of feet shuffling, and she knew that everyone else was leaving the room to give them privacy, but she couldn't have cared less. He was all that mattered right now.

Pulling them both up onto the couch, he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent, holding her and letting his hands make certain she was really there. His fingers were trembling, his breathing was shaky… and then she suddenly felt waves of tremors rock his body.

He was crying.

_Oh God, Niklaus… please don't! _Her heart broke into a million pieces, and she gathered him as close as she could, wrapping herself around him and stroking his back, his arms, his neck. Her voice was raw with emotion when she whispered, "I'm here, my love. I'm back, I really am! And I swear to you that I will never, ever leave you again. You won't get rid of me, not in a hundred thousand years." She pulled away and cupped his face, struggling to keep it together at the excruciating sight of the tears on his cheeks. Very softly, she kissed each and every teardrop from his face, and every touch of her lips was echoed by her almost inaudible murmur. "I love you… I love you… I love you…"

Klaus did not say a word for a very long time. His eyes had closed, and each time he heard her voice, his grip tightened a little more. After a while, he wordlessly scooped her up and flashed into their room where he closed the door and gently put her down, staring into her eyes with so much anguish that her heart broke over and over again. His voice sounded cracked and raspy when he finally spoke.

"Caroline, I… there are a billion things I want to say to you, and yet, I cannot find any words. I do not know where to start. Ever since I met you, there have been many moments when my head was too full of my heart to form a coherent sentence, but never like this. Never like right now. I want to yell at you, kiss you, tell you just how insanely I love you, beat you up for everything you put me through, marry you all over again, stand in the corner and sulk, look at you for hours… and all at the same time." He ran a hand through his hair. "I am totally lost."

She took his face in her hands and whispered, "Why don't you start by telling me that you're glad I'm back? I need to hear it, Niklaus. The Other Side was… no, I'll tell you later. Now I need your love, and I need you to be as cheesy, romantic and Love Actually as you possibly can."

Pulling her into his arms, Klaus kissed her forehead and rested his cheek against hers. "My darling girl," he murmured at her ear, "did you know that when you died, my Signum remained intact? Your mark will not be on me for as long as you live, but until the day all time ends. And I would not have it any other way. You are asking whether I am glad that you have returned to me?" He kissed her Signum, and she felt a rush of warmth spread from it through her entire body.

"My love, I was ripped apart the second you died. It took all my strength to go on functioning, and I only did because I had promised it to you and because it was the one way to bring you back as quickly as possible. Look at me." He pulled back from her and held her at arm's length so she could look into his eyes. Everything inside her came undone at what she read in them. He had always gazed at her with feeling, with love and adoration, but this was more. It was something so absolute, so boundless and perpetual that she stopped breathing and felt another tear slip out of her eye. What she saw in his eyes mirrored her own feelings – he was her life, her death, her eternity. Her _everything._

Klaus took her hand and pulled her towards the floor-length mirror in the far corner of the room. Standing behind her, he pointed at their joint reflection. "This is _me, _my love. What you see is everything that makes me who I am. If you take some of it away, the man in the mirror is no longer Niklaus Mikaelson. You are a part of me, and without that part, I can never be whole again." He squeezed his eyes shut for a second before his gaze firmly locked with hers. "I have missed you with every fiber of my being, Caroline Mikaelson, every torturous minute of every day, and I can only repeat what I said to you back in Ushuaia – unless it is your intent to kill me, do not leave me again. Ever."

She stared at him in wonder, unable to take her eyes off his lovely face. When she didn't speak, he smiled. "Hey, you wanted the cheesy version. I can give you the more mundane definition if you prefer – it's good to see you, mate!"

That made her giggle, and she finally managed to shake off the daze. Turning around, she brushed her knuckles across his cheek. "No. I prefer the cheesy, especially as it wasn't cheesy at all." She leaned in to kiss his neck, tenderly touching her lips to his Signum and moving on to his throat, his jawline… and the curve of his shoulder. _Home._ She buried her face in the spot that had become the center of her universe and pressed herself against him, sighing with infinite relief. She had been holding it together during her time on the Other Side because she knew he would bring her back and because she was doing it for him. It was only in this very moment that it truly hit her – she had died and literally been to hell and back.

Still buried in his shoulder and inhaling his long-missed scent, she whispered, "Niklaus, is… is my light still intact?"

He lifted her chin and gave her a deep, loving smile that made his dimples dance. Then he turned her around and made her face the mirror again. "Look at yourself, Caroline. Remember how it works. Go through everything you have seen down there and keep your eyes on your face. Then tell me."

When he was about to move aside, she grabbed his arm and shook her head. "Stay with me. I've never needed you like I need you now."

Swallowing hard, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed her hair and rested his cheek against hers. They were silent for a long, long time. Klaus never moved, but he held her securely within his embrace while she stared at her own reflection.

She was still _Caroline._ Yes, she had seen hell, with its lost and damned, its crippled trees, its darkness… and the Pits. A shudder went through her and she felt his grip tighten. But after all of that, after witnessing the deep despair, the horrors and the desolation, she had not lost her essence. The Other Side had not broken her, it had not changed one ounce of who she was. With infinite relief, her eyes drifted to meet his in the mirror, and her heart swelled at the slow smile that spread all over his face at seeing her understand.

"As I always said, my darling girl – nothing will ever be able to break you, and nothing can ever corrupt your light."

"One thing can."

He inclined his head, and a flicker of pain shot across his face. "Granted. But that one thing will never happen. And that is a promise." Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he turned her around and touched his lips to hers before he closely examined her face. "I take it that you would prefer to move any further serious conversation to tomorrow, my love?"

Nodding, she briefly closed her eyes and let her hands wander up his arms and over his shoulder before she looked at his lovely face again. She needed comfort, light, love, laughter, warmth… and she needed his body to tell her that everything was real, that they were back together and would forever be. Something similar seemed to cross his mind, as she could see the familiar sparkle of desire dancing in his eyes. But it was just as obvious that he was fighting it down.

"Would you like to take a bath before going to sleep? I will get you a blood bag and something to eat, my darling. What would you like?"

"You."

Want was flaring in his eyes again, but he was still trying to keep it in check. _My beautiful, perfect Niklaus… how I love you for that! Always, always putting me first._ She took his hand and led him to the bathroom. Very slowly, she pulled his Henley over his head, not touching him but letting her eyes devour every inch of his skin.

"I've been deprived of you for far too long. And I need you so badly it's almost ridiculous," she whispered, still caressing his body with her adoring gaze and swallowing with longing and excitement when she saw him surrender.

"My breathtaking Caroline… I want to apologize to you. You have only been back for the briefest of whiles, and I should be worrying about nothing but your getting some rest and regaining your strength. However, all I can think of is how I crave to feel your body melting into mine and to watch the desire grow in your eyes, to see you look at me with all that incredible, unfathomable love that I have finally understood will never die."

Caroline's heart almost sprang to life at the need in his voice. She placed one hand on the side of his neck and closed her eyes at the familiar sensation of his warm, silken skin against her fingers. "Don't apologize, Niklaus. Don't ever apologize for wanting me the way you do. It makes me feel more alive than anything else, and God knows I _need _to feel alive right now."

Unbuttoning her shirt, he bit his lips when his eyes wandered over her skin until they had reached her bra. Running a finger along the hem of the fabric, he smiled. "Do you remember the first time I kissed you there?" he inquired softly, and Caroline's lips curved.

"Town Hall gardens, right after my first taste of Krug. I thought I was going to faint, and I could have killed you for leaving at that moment."

Chuckling lightly, he continued to tenderly caress the swell of her breast, and Caroline wondered if she was going to start purring like a cat anytime soon. "Well, I think it is safe now to confess that it was all part of my strategy to make you want to jump my bones. As is the case with all of my strategies, it worked to perfection, would you not agree?"

With something between a snort and a giggle, she gave him a playful little shove, which prompted him to lower his head and press a soft, open-mouthed, lingering kiss to her breast, just like he had done back then. His voice had turned dark and husky. "And I believe I have never found it so hard to keep myself in check. Had I stayed for only one more second, I would no longer have cared about my brother, Damon and the whole Mystic Falls Beautification Committee watching. Right at that very moment, I would have died a thousand deaths to do _this_."

His hand slipped into the cup of her bra to free her breast, making her inhale sharply. Now his tongue and his fingers began to circle her nipple, brushing over it every now and then. She felt heat rising inside her and leaned back, pressing her breast into his fingers, not-so-very-subtly asking him for more. There was a sudden gentle touch to her back, and Caroline had to smile when she felt her bra disappear. Maybe it was juvenile, but she had always had a weakness for his incredible skill at opening those damn things.

They continued to slowly and tenderly undress each other, sighing at the soft touches and loving caresse they bestowed on one another. His skin was pure silk, warm, familiar and unspeakably enticing. Caroline was unable to take her eyes off him as she let her hands linger on every inch of his shoulders, his back and his chest, pressing adoring kisses to his neck and all over his face. She couldn't help but marvel at the pure, unadulterated bliss and the infinite relief she could see reflected in his stormy eyes.

When the water was running, Klaus cupped her face and finally, _finally _kissed her fully. His tongue sought hers, provoking her to a loving battle for dominance and to lose herself in the celestial taste of his lips, so she didn't even notice how he moved them both under the shower. The moment the warm water hit her, she moaned and let her head drop back. It felt wonderful. His protective body, the stream of soothing water, the feeling of finally being back where she belonged…

Without a warning, she burst into hot tears. Blindly seeking his warmth, she clung to him like a drowning person and let herself go without shame. There was no awkwardness, nothing – and she knew there never would be again, not between them. The thought was just plain liberating, and apart from their eternal love, all the big, epic things that had happened and would still happen between them, Caroline found herself at a loss for words at how blessed she was to have found a man who would never be put off by anything she did or said. However crazy, pathetic or stupid she might feel at times – he would never see her like that, not for a second. _I am the luckiest woman in the world. In history. In the freaking universe!_

Klaus didn't seem the least bit surprised by her outburst. He held her very close, not saying a word until her sobs died down and her breathing became steadier. She whispered an almost inaudible "Thank you" against his shoulder, feeling another flash of warmth as he kissed her hair.

When he finally felt she had recovered from her tears, he squeezed some shower gel into his hands and began to very carefully massage it into her entire body, never losing contact with her and not leaving out a single inch of skin. After he had washed her hair and rinsed off the shampoo, she reached for the bottle, looking up at him when he put a hand on her arm and shook his head.

"Don't you want me to?" she whispered.

With a smile, he murmured, "Of course I do. But we should get you to bed, my darling. You need to rest and relax."

"Please," she just said. "I want to touch you. Let me."

"Caroline, my love, you were crying. This is not the time for…"

"Yes, it is," she interrupted. "It's the time to feel each other, to laugh, to make love. To be _alive. _Or can you name anything you'd rather do in this very second?"

Grinning and teasingly rolling his eyes, he let go of her arm. "Play a round of backgammon, of course. Who in his right mind would prefer your hands on his body over a decent board game?"

With a giggle, she squeezed some shower gel into her hands, relieved that he had understood and given in to her need for a lighter mood… and for _him. _His eyes remained closed during her tender ministrations, but his breathing accelerated almost imperceptibly. Caroline's hands were everywhere, as if to make sure he was really there, and she felt like laughing out happily at the incomparable sensation of his solid, familiar body under her fingers.

"Still backgammon?" she whispered provokingly when her hand slid over his chest and his abs, only to make its way further south. Her eyes closed for a second as she felt his velvety cock twitch under her touch. He was already rock-hard, and his soft, wanton groan was pure music. It was _her_ song.

"Yes," he mumbled with some difficulty. "This is… ah… boring. I could not… care less… about what you are… doing to me."

She grinned and had just begun to intensify her caresses, reveling in his increasingly dark groans, when her eyes fell on a bottle of mineral water on a stool right next to the shower. A mischievous idea entered her mind. _I'll show you backgammon, my love!_ She reached for the bottle and opened it carefully with one hand, never stopping her loving touches of his rigid length, completely distracting him from what she was doing. His eyes were still closed. _Good. _Taking a large sip, she kept the bubbly water in her mouth and in a flash, her hand had let go of him and she was on her knees, his cock deep in her mouth, surrounded by sparkling water, her tongue and her lips.

He stumbled back against the shower wall, a deep, animalistic grumble escaping him while his hands grabbed the wall for support. Her eyes were on his face as she devoured him, and there was not a single more erotic sight in the world than Niklaus Mikaelson's face bathed in ecstasy. Eyes wide open, lips parted, and an expression of something remotely resembling pain on his features. He was beyond turned on, and that knowledge only drove her wilder.

She used everything she had. Her lips, her tongue, her teeth, her hands… she had done this to him so many times, but never like this, never with this kind of crazy abandon. Her world was reduced to his bursting length, and she no longer did this to please _him._ She did it purely to please herself – not that he seemed to mind. His incoherent stammering, the way he called out her name and barely held himself upright – it went through her body and soul like a white-hot flame. He was hers, and she would take what belonged to her. Blindly, she reached for the bottle and let go of his cock for a nanosecond, just to pull him deep into her water-filled mouth again an instant later. Her tongue played around his massive hardness, stirring the water in her mouth and making him slap the wall in sheer despair.

_Holy crap, I have to do this more often!_

The second a primal groan escaped her and vibrated all through his cock, he erupted. Not a sound left his throat as he pressed himself into the wall, his lips wide open, his eyes squeezed shut. Caroline felt his legs tremble and pulled him even deeper into her for a second, letting her hands steady his shaking body. Fleetingly, she remembered how she had seen and felt him come for the very first time and thought that she had never experienced anything quite as magnificent. _He is as overwhelming today as he was back then. As he has been every single time. _Very gradually, the tremors subsided, and she covered him with tender, soft kisses before she slowly rose to her feet.

His arms came around her instantly and he pulled her into a fierce embrace, his eyes still closed, his breathing laboured. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed contentedly, smiling at how it never ceased to amaze her just how completely and fearlessly he gave himself. But he still didn't speak when he turned off the water and lifted her up into his arms, carrying her to their bed and lowering them both onto the mattress, soaking wet as they were.

"Are you okay?" she asked timidly, not sure what to make of his silence. Had she overdone it somehow?

"I am sorry, my love," he said after a few more moments, his voice very grave. Caroline's stomach clenched uncomfortably. "But I really have a problem here."

Her voice no more than a whisper, she resisted the urge to bite her lip in anxiety. "What is it?"

Klaus tsked and ran a hand through his hair, desolately shaking his head. "I am desperately trying to remember where I left the bloody backgammon board. Gods, I hope I did not forget it in Mystic Falls! Ah, no, wait, I saw Elijah with it the other day…"

He didn't get any further as she shrieked in outrage and pinned him to the bed, straddling him and trapping his arms above his head. How could he tease her like that! Laughing, he winked at her. "Are you going to put your current position of absolute power over me into some proper use, or what?"

She chuckled, then she leaned down and kissed him fervently for a very long time. "I love you, Niklaus," she whispered when she finally released his swollen lips. "For being who you are." Then she gave him a wink of her own. "And everything you are is _mine._"

"Which you demonstrated rather impressively only moments ago," he smiled, just before his voice turned into a velvety purr. "Caroline Mikaelson, you were simply glorious. Every inch my little devil." An instant later, his lips were on her neck, and she knew that he would be the one to claim what was _his_ now_. _His hands still shackled above his head by hers, he used nothing but his tongue and his lips to make her almost forget her own name.

All of a sudden, he paused to look at her. His tempestuous, dark eyes made her shiver and relax at the same time, and once more, she wondered how after everything they had gone through, after all the time they had already spent together and with the incredible bond they shared, she still felt like she had fallen for him only yesterday. Their relationship had deepened, matured and developed, but the feeling of being a lovestruck teenager had not gone away. And she adored it more than she could ever put into words. Releasing his hands, she found herself beneath him in no more than the blink of an eye.

"Emerson has written a poem called 'Give All to Love'," he whispered, his fingers gently stroking her face. "One paragraph in particular comes to my mind right now."

_It was never for the mean  
It requireth courage stout  
Souls above doubt  
Valour unbending  
Such 't will reward  
They shall return  
More than they were  
And ever ascending._

Kissing her eyes, he gave her a dimpled smile. "That is you, Caroline Mikaelson. The woman who gives all to love, no matter how hard, dangerous or painful it might be, and who grows ever stronger through it."

Before she could put her overflowing emotions into words, Klaus' lips were on hers in a wonderful, delicious hunger that mirrored her own. His tongue traced her lower lip right before he bit it with his human teeth. Her delicate moan pulled an answering gasp from him.

"I won't be able to let go of you, my angel. Not tonight."

Without another word, Caroline swiftly moved underneath him, adjusting her position and bending her legs so he couldn't help but slide into her. A deep growl escaped him, and he rolled his hips against her to bury himself to the hilt. Then he whispered fervently, "Take me without moving."

Her breath caught and very deliberately, she began to contract around him in a steady rhythm, tensing and releasing her inner walls but otherwise not touching him. He remained perfectly still, and yet his gasps and moans became increasingly uncontrolled. It felt wonderfully intimate, sexy… hot! Sensing that his arousal was becoming all but unbearable, she was just about to wrap her legs around him and take him in earnest when he shook his head. "From now on, for the remainder of the night, it will be about your pleasure, and your pleasure only, my sweet little one." Before she had a chance to protest, he had pulled her to the edge of the bed and knelt on the rug. The last thing she saw before all of her senses exploded was the expression of sheer and utter bliss on his face as he mercilessly claimed her sex.

He was wild, sensual and greedy. His mouth took her with a recklessness that rivaled her own when she had devoured him earlier, and with every lick of his incredible tongue, he pushed her legs an inch further apart. Caroline didn't notice or care that she was crying out every time he touched her, that she had torn the sheets and was thrashing on the bed like a madwoman. She was racing towards her release, and nothing else mattered.

The moment she finally dissolved in ecstasy, she suddenly felt him inside her, his powerful thrusts driving her climax from its peak to a new one until she felt the orgasm in every last fiber of her body. She could only utter one single word. "Please."

With one last, deep thrust, he let himself go, joining her in her feverish craze, repeating her name over and over until they just sank into each other's arms, too exhausted to even think.

Klaus kissed her hair while she was resting on his chest, trying to return to the present. His hand was softly caressing the nape of her neck while the other ran up and down her back. They were silent for a long while before he gently nudged her to look at him. When she did, he pressed a tender kiss to her lips and sighed.

"There is nothing that I have not already said when it comes to expressing what you mean to me, my darling girl," he murmured, his eyes burning into hers, "so I will just say this." He kissed her temple and lingered before he spoke again. "I belong to you in every possible way. It is as simple and absolute as that."

Her heart did a dozen somersaults.

And the endless night in his arms brought her back from hell once and for all.


	47. The Grumpy Horse

**Looks like I'm running out of countries in the story statistic, so I'll have to start being repetitive. Apologies for that. Thank you, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the Commonwealth! :)**

**Another big thanks to the guest reviewers - Marie, Anahita20, Justine, Melday7, Dillan, Klaroline, Bekki and the Anons. :)**

**And as there is no other way to do this, I would also like to thank the guest reviewer who just posted the four hundredth review to Dungeons! XXX :)**

**Hope you all had a lovely weekend, and I hope you'll enjoy the new chapter. Four more to go after this one, so we're really on home stretch... I'll miss you guys!**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

THE GRUMPY HORSE

It was late afternoon when they finally decided to leave their room and face the world. Caroline had not yet spoken about her time on the Other Side, and she wanted to tell Klaus ahead of everyone else, so she had suggested they drive out to see Caligula whom the Original hadn't been able to visit for ages, and have their conversation there. The black had been taken care of by a local man hired by Elijah before they had left for Argentina, and Klaus had not had an opportunity to see his horse since then.

"He is probably going to ignore me for weeks," he remarked dryly as he parked the car.

When they walked up to the paddock, the tall black stallion stood motionlessly at the end of the compound, fixing Klaus with his dark eyes. The two of them stared at each other for a long while, and Caroline silently stepped to the side of the paddock, watching them closely. Caligula did not move an inch, not even his tail was swishing, and Klaus did not attempt to provoke any reactions from the horse. After a while, he climbed the fence and sat on its top for a moment before he jumped down and walked towards the black who was still not moving. When he was mere inches away, the Original halted.

"Well, m'boy, it would seem you are rather cross with me, are you not? So how long will you be sulking, then?"

Caroline grinned broadly at seeing Caligula throw his head back with an almost irritated expression. Sometimes, she had the weird feeling that the horse understood every single word Klaus said to him. And it was everything she could do not to burst into laughter when the stallion trotted off towards the other end of the paddock, very ostentatiously turning his back on his master. She looked at her husband who was suppressing a smile.

"I will be here for another while, so do let me know if you change your mind, you bloody grump."

With an elegant side vault, he leaped over the fence and landed right next to her, gesturing towards a pile of hay bales right next to the little barn. "Shall we sit down?"

Caroline chose a bale and sat, leaning against the barn wall. Klaus lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it before he took a seat across from her and looked at her expectantly.

Hesitantly, she began to speak, telling him about sector three, the castle, about how she had met Alaric and how the vampires who were not Travelers were trapped in that castle with no possibility to ever leave. She described the darkness, the landscape and everything she had felt when she had spoken to the imprisoned vampires about what had lately been happening on the Plane of the Living. They had hung on her lips, absorbing her every word, and she remembered how her heart had gone out to them at being so desperate for every little piece of news, every disruption of their monotonous existence.

When she arrived at her description of sector six, he frowned. For a moment, she considered leaving out her encounter with Sawney, but she had given him her word that she would tell him everything. And so she spoke about the filthy little shack, the dirty man and their 'conversation'. When she mentioned his name, Klaus' eyebrows rose.

"Sawney?" Caroline nodded. "What did he look like?" When she finished her description of what little she had been able to discern of Sawney under the thick layer of grime, he lifted a corner of his mouth into a cruel grin.

"The man you have encountered, my love, was Sawney Bean. You remember how I told you that at times, humans can be much greater monsters than any of us? Well, Sawney is a textbook example. He is part of Scottish legends, but reality was much worse than any made-up tales. He lived in a cave by the sea in Bennane Head, Scotland, during the fifteenth century, together with his wife and dozens of children and grandchildren. The entire clan is said to have killed close to one thousand people over a period of almost thirty years, and many of their victims were cannibalized. They were finally discovered, hunted down and hanged, with the male family members' genitalia being hacked off before their execution."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Obviously," she muttered, and Klaus cocked his head.

"Did have a closer look, then, did you?" he grinned, making her scoff.

"He was practically waving it in my face, what choice did I have?" she demanded, shuddering at the memory. "Have you met him during his lifetime?"

Klaus shook his head. "No, but I knew someone who had, and apparently, the cave the Bean family lived in must have been a sight so macabre that many of the men who discovered it while hunting down the family fled screaming, and that meant quite something back then. No wonder he ended up in sector six, although I do believe that is still too mild a punishment for him. Well, it is not my call to make. What happened when you escaped him?"

She told him about her search and about the jump from the edge of the giant rock wall down into the valley. He smiled broadly at that, and Caroline had the distinct sensation he was a little proud of her. Besides wanting to shake her for travelling to sector six in the first place, of course. If she was to be honest with herself, she had been a little nervous about him giving her a royal dressing-down, but it looked like he was way too relieved to have her back to waste any time quarrelling. And after this amazing, blissful night, neither of them was in the mood for any kind of fight at all. So she talked about the secret village that had been kept hidden from the Old Witches, and about how she had ended up at the doorstep of the warlock.

"His name was Van Tale. He said you knew him," she added and looked at him curiously.

Her husband pursed his lips. "Lau Van Tale?" he inquired, and Caroline assented. "Yes, I did know him in his time. He was powerful in the extreme, a talented Black Warlock who could have become an enemy to reckon with. His spells were complex, very advanced and impressive for the age. I encountered him in Constantinople, in the thirteenth century, when it was still part of the Byzantine Empire. Our paths crossed quite frequently, and had it not been for the fact that he was a Black Warlock of the ancient lines and I the Original Vampire, we might have been able to get along fairly well. He looked a little bit like your old friend Loki, by the way."

"He still does," she giggled. "So, did he have a better score ratio than you when it came to women and you had to kill him over that, or what happened?"

Smiling tenderly, he reached out to tuck a loose curl behind her ear. "He fell in love."

"How can that be bad?" Caroline wanted to know, leaning into his hand.

"That in itself was not bad. His problem was that it made him completely lose his head, and even more so than usual because his love was not requited. The woman, a human, was in love with someone else. And no, before you ask, it was not me. So Lau used all his allure and his considerable charm to attempt to make the girl return his affections, but it was to no avail. In the end, he was desperate enough to revert to magic."

She raised her brows and rested her chin in her hands. "Did he succeed?" Something told her she would not like the answer.

"Yes, he did. For a short while, Lau was wildly happy, although I could never quite shake the feeling that deep down, he would have given anything for the woman to fall for him the old-fashioned way. He wanted the girl to develop genuine feelings towards him, but when he saw that it would never happen, he took what he could get. Or rather, what he could conjure up with his magic. The only problem was that the woman's lover did not take too kindly to the new development, and one night, he managed to take Lau by surprise as he was just leaving the girl's house. He was obviously still in a daze, for otherwise the man would never have been able to sneak up on him. And not even a warlock of Lau's capabilities can resist a curved dagger to the heart."

Caroline was silent for a moment, remembering the warlock's cool aloofness and the way his voice had sounded when he had briefly mentioned the girl. She could definitely not condone how he had attempted to force affections where there were none to be given freely and voluntarily, but then again, she supposed that nine hundred years on the Other Side were penance enough. Maybe it was one of the reasons why Lau had helped her and for that, she was indeed grateful.

Watching her attentively, Klaus inclined his head. "You liked him, then?"

"He helped me," she said with a nod, "but I couldn't even say if I liked him or not. At some point, he said that he couldn't remember what his essence was before he had turned to Black Magic, and that's how I see him, too – I just don't know what to make of him. And learning about what he did to that poor girl…"

Taking her hand, he kissed each of her fingers before he smiled at her. "No being is purely good or purely evil, and supernatural creatures consist of even more shades of grey as your average human. No pun intended. There was something I liked about Lau back then. He had a sharp wit, a very dark sense of humour, and he could be charming in the extreme when he wanted to. But he was probably not a good person in the traditional sense of the word. Then again, who of us is?"

There was no arguing that point. Caroline decided to give the question whether she actually liked Lau some more thought when everything was over. But there was something else, something much more vital that Klaus needed to be made aware of now.

"Niklaus… I met your father. Lau brought me to him."

He shook his head very determinedly. "Mikael is not my father."

Taking his hand and squeezing it lightly, she replied, "I am not talking about Mikael. I mean, I saw him, too, but I am talking about your real father. The werewolf. He is the one who returned from the Eternal Realm to the Other Side."

Klaus' eyes widened incredulously. "How did you… how could you have known it was him? Even I do not know what he looked like!"

With a tender smile, she ran a finger over his cheek, stopping at his dimple. Her voice was very soft when she spoke. "He looks like you, Niklaus. Same hair, same eyes, same dimples. Same voice, minus the British accent."

Rising from the hay bale, he ran a hand through his curls and began to pace back and forth. Caroline fell silent, leaning into the wall and giving him time to wrap his head around this new information. A thousand years, and he had never even known his true father's name. Her gaze fell on Caligula who had gradually approached the fence and was now following Klaus' every move with his eyes. He seemed to sense his distress, making Caroline smile. That horse adored Klaus in such a touching way, despite their ongoing battles… it was just amazing.

"What… happened?" he asked very cautiously. She told him about how they had first gone to see Mikael, and a kind of cruel satisfaction sneaked onto his face when she spoke of the state his stepfather was in. But all smugness was wiped from his features at her description of the Pits and her jump that had almost gone awry. He did not even smile when she told him about his voice and how it had made her focus again. Between clenched teeth, he hissed, "We will speak of this in greater detail some other time. I am too relieved to have you back to be yelling at you right now, but you may rest assured that you will not escape the screaming fit, lady."

"Okay," Caroline whispered, lowering her head and gazing at her shoes. When he looked at her like that, with such anxiety and silent reproach in his deep-sea eyes, she felt like jumping into his arms and spending hours begging for his forgiveness for having put herself at risk. With a small sigh, she continued her account of how they had found Ralph in his cavern, and about how she had not quite been able to put her finger on the familiarity of his features until he had smiled.

Klaus paced restlessly for another while before he stopped and looked at her quizzically. "So why did he leave the Eternal Realm?"

She bit her lip and cleared her throat. "Actually… he did it for Esther. It seems he really loved her at some point, and he was prepared to face an eternity in purgatory to be at her side. He assumed that while you guys were all still alive, Esther just didn't want to admit to her feelings because she was afraid of Mikael. Big mistake. When he came to the Other Side, she just laughed at him and had him confined to sector six. He lives like an eremite, hidden away in that desolate cave in the middle of nowhere." She paused. "He said… he said he should have claimed you as his during his living years, but he didn't, out of his fear of Mikael. He also said that part of him has always seen you as his son."

His jaw set, and he shook his head. A flicker of something flashed through his eyes, but it was gone before she could really discern what it had been. "He should have thought of that a little earlier. It might have changed the course of history."

"And yet he is your father, my love."

Now his eyes turned almost unbearably tender, and he knelt in front of her, pulling her into his arms. "I finally have a family, Caroline, and I have made my peace with the fact that I have never had anyone who has been a father to me. Maybe…" his voice lowered to a whisper, "maybe Elijah was, on occasion. Incidentally, I'll deny everything should you ever repeat one single word of what I just said to my big brother." She grinned at his menacing scowl, but then his face softened again. "I don't need anyone beyond my wife and my family, my beautiful girl."

Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him lovingly, hearing him sigh. She would need to give him some time to adjust to the thought of Ralph being more than the hazy ghost of a thousand-year-old past. "Then why don't you just keep it in the back of your mind that your father was a nice man. Nothing at all like Mikael and Esther. And that his name was Ralph."

Klaus moved to sit on the hay bale and lifted her onto his lap, crushing her against him and nuzzling in her neck. "Thank you, my love. For always knowing just what to say to me."

They were quiet for a while, listening to the light wind and Caligula's steady breathing. "So what did he… what did Ralph say about the Eternal Realm? What is it like?"

Caroline described everything Ralph had related about the plane of the dead. About the landscapes, the peace and serenity. And about Padma, about how nature selected those who were destined for eternal despair and what it was like in there. Klaus listened attentively, interjecting questions every now and then and gazing thoughtfully into the distance. When she was finished, he held her at arm's length to look at her with earnest eyes.

"I am reluctant to release Mikael from his spell and Esther from her isolation. But I want your opinion, Caroline. Would you destroy the Other Side, yes or no?"

There was not the slightest hesitation when she answered. "Yes. I would. Alaric told me that according to what he has heard, the Other Side is not a natural place, which is why – contrary to the Eternal Realm – it can actually be destroyed without irreversibly compromising the original two worlds. Look, there is no happiness, no light, no hope, and while many of those who were unfortunate enough to end up down there deserve their fate, there are just as many others who don't. Think of Alaric, Rose and Anna's son, Anatol. And there are thousands of others just like them. Remember that those whose nature is truly rotten will be sent to Padma with no chance at ever escaping or being contacted from the outside. Esther, Mikael, Prelati, de Rais, Sawney… none of them will spend eternity on the beach with an umbrella cocktail." She paused for a second. He was listening closely, not interrupting her. "You may say that I'm just sentimental, but trust me, Niklaus, had you seen what I have seen, you wouldn't hesitate."

He nodded. "Understood. Tell me, sweetheart, did anyone know who the actual creator of the Other Side was?"

"Apparently, there have been rumours for many millennia. Although it's hard to imagine that anyone can actually be older than you." She giggled as he gave her a playful little shove. "Ralph told me that he heard something about a warlock, although it must have been some sort of super-warlock, according to the legend. I mean, think about it - someone who has been able to create an entire world? Wow. Must have been nothing short of a demigod. Anyway, legend has it that after he created the Other Side, he stayed on for a couple thousand years before he left the Old Witches in command and moved on to the Eternal Realm. Or wherever else. No one knows if that's true, and if yes, where he actually is. Ralph also said that it's possible the warlock-or-whatever was the one to initially create vampires, witches and werewolves, so I'm sorry to say, but you guys were apparently not the first ones after all."

"I'm devastated," Klaus grinned before he sobered. "Let's hope he won't return with a vengeance once his œuvre has been annihilated."

Her face lit up. "So you're going to do it?"

"No. _We_ are. But I'm afraid there will be a little challenge."

Caroline frowned. _No more drama, pretty please! I'm not sure I can take any more of this crap!_ "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, he answered, "I have gone through the respective instructions in the primeval Original Grimoire again very thoroughly. Yes, my blood is the key to the destruction of the Other Side and the instructions are rather clear. However, here's the big _but._ In addition to everything that had to come to pass to create my Golden Blood, someone will have to voluntarily die with it in their system and literally carry it to the Other Side."

Shaking her head, she objected, "But I already did. It was my very own choice to die, I had your blood in my system, it already was Golden Blood at the time, and yet the Other Side is still bouncing!"

"It does take a little more than just my blood, sweetheart. We require further ingredients to complete the concoction, and Davina's spell to make it work. The problem will be to find someone to voluntarily give his or her life. And don't even think about it!" he added with a snarl.

She was silent. He had known It would be her first thought. But then she remembered Esther's words – resuscitation from the Eternal Realm was only possible on a temporary basis. Did it make her a bad person, a selfish person that she wasn't ready to only have a limited time with Klaus? Even if it meant condemning thousands of more-or-less-innocent people to an eternity in darkness? Yes… it did. She _was _ a bad person, wasn't she? Appalled at herself, she leaned her head against his shoulder again, seeking comfort.

"Bonnie's permanent resuscitation spell only works when reviving someone from the Other Side, probably because it's closer to the Plane of the Living. When you want to bring someone back from the Eternal Realm of the Dead, it will still only be for a limited amount of time. And… I know this makes me terribly egoistic, but I don't want to be with you for a while, Niklaus. I want to be with you forever."

Caroline almost had to smile at his subdued sigh of relief. He had apparently anticipated lengthy debates on the subject. "This time, my love, I would not let you do it, not under any circumstances, and there will be no compromise and absolutely no further discussion. That said, it might take us some time to find a solution. I am not willing to let any family member volunteer, nor can I imagine any of them would seriously consider this sacrifice."

"Then what can we do? Finding someone who will do that can take ages. And we can't ask Davina to remain a virgin forever."

Now Klaus had to chuckle. "If things between her and Kol progress the way they have so far, it would be optimistic to assume she will still be untouched by the end of the week. And it might take us centuries to encounter another maiden Original Witch, so we should make the best use of this brief window of opportunity. Let us speak to the others later tonight. I can imagine Damon bloody Salvatore has quite some suicidal candidates among his acquaintances. Who in their right mind would bear his company without wanting to kill themselves?"

"You do," Caroline grinned.

"Who says I do not develop a death wish whenever I am in his presence?"

They both chuckled, and Caroline closed her eyes when Klaus pulled the collar of her shirt to one side and softly kissed her shoulder. Then he gently replaced the shirt and took a breath. "There is also one decision that is yours to make, and you will have to make it very soon, Caroline."

Eyeing him curiously, she wondered what he was talking about. He pressed his lips together, and his expression hardened. An unpleasant topic, it seemed.

"Bonnie," he simply said.

Her eyes closed briefly. It was not that she had forgotten about everything and everyone else ever since she had returned from the dead not twenty-four hours ago, but she had pushed it all as far away as she could. There had been nothing nearly as important as Klaus, and all other issues had simply paled against the need to focus on him, to absorb the incredible happiness at being reunited for good, to be with him, to savour him. To love him. But she could no longer deny that there was an outside world with a few things to resolve.

"Why don't you tell me what happened after I died?"

Klaus gave a quick nod and began to speak, relating his dealings with Marcel, their wait for Bonnie to finally decide to turn Davina into an Original Witch and everything that had happened the day the young witch had been spelled. He rolled his eyes at how his younger brother had not quite been able to keep his hands off Davina before she walked into uncertainty. Caroline had to laugh at that.

"Now who does that remind me of?" she asked amusedly.

"Oh please. The restraint I showed when it came to you was exemplary, my love!"

"Yeah, right. So what happened after Davina was spelled?"

"I needed to obtain the resuscitation spell from Bonnie, so we had Damon spelled with excruciating magic migraine and go to Marcel for help. As predicted, he called Bonnie in order to demonstrate just how much she danced to his tune. The minute she left her house, I abducted her and brought her to Remy's cellars."

Caroline frowned. "I can't imagine she gave you the spell just like that, out of old friendship, did she?"

With a huff, Klaus shook his head. "Elena tried to persuade her nicely, to no avail. I did not want to lose any more time, and as Bonnie has been on vervain ever since she met Marcel and I had no time to bleed her out of it, I needed to find an alternative way to extract the information from her." He fell silent and looked at Caroline evenly. His gaze told her that whatever he had done, he was not sorry for it and would never be.

"What did you do?" she asked cautiously.

"I walled her in."

"Excuse me?"

He shrugged and explained. "I shackled her to the wall in a very, _very_ small cave beneath Remy's cellars, and I erected a makeshift brick wall. I left her in there, and I have the distinct feeling that she did not overly enjoy it. Claustrophobia is a very nasty condition indeed." He snickered at that. "After about an hour, I spoke to her again, and she was far more accommodating. She even gave me the correct spell right away."

Caroline's eyes narrowed again. "What else did you threaten her with to not have her try and trick you?" she demanded.

"You do know me very well, my Caroline," he grinned. "If you truly care to know, I told her I would bury her alive if she played any games."

She took her time to consider everything he had just explained. _Bonnie._ Caroline understood that sometimes, things changed. Friendships evolved or ended and still, life went on. Her rational side knew that she would have to accept the fact that her relationship with Bonnie could never go back to the way it had been prior to Marcel, Black Magic and Original Grimoires. And yet, a small part of her still had hope, however silly everyone else would think that. Although something told her that Elena would understand, otherwise she wouldn't have tried to appeal to Bonnie's memories of their former friendship.

"Where is she now?" she asked quietly, trying to ignore her discomfort at the knowledge that Bonnie's fate rested in her hands. One word, and Klaus would kill the witch without blinking. It was uncanny to think that she, Caroline, had that kind of power. And then it hit her – this was not limited to Bonnie. It would never take more than one word, one _look _forKlaus to bring down the entire planet for her. Just when the thought threatened to overwhelm her, she realized that it went both ways. He would also spare any life she asked him to reprieve. Well, apart from one exception called Damon Salvatore, should Klaus ever learn the truth, and anyone else who ever dared to lay a hand on her.

Klaus gave another shrug and said, "Still shackled to the cave wall beneath Remy's. Do not fret, she is being given food and drink, and I had Remy tear down the wall, but I could not let her go, which I believe you will understand. Nevertheless, the decision as to what will happen to her lies in your hands, my love. She was your friend, and I will respect whatever it is you decide. Just for the record, though – tearing out her heart would make me very, very happy."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline huffed. "Not gonna happen, and you know that."

"Unfortunately, I do. Your kindness is one of the things I love most about you, probably because it is something that does not come to me easily, but I do not believe that Miss Bennett is a very deserving recipient of it."

She kissed his cheek lingeringly before she answered. "You promised to respect my decision whatever it may be, Niklaus."

"And I will. Which does not, however, mean that I have to like it."

He did have a point. And as long as he still accepted her decision, she was perfectly fine with agreeing to disagree. Anyway, she would need to see Bonnie and talk to her. Maybe… maybe there was still some hope after all? She didn't dare say it aloud as she didn't want to come across as totally naïve.

Gazing at Caligula thoughtfully, she leaned against Klaus and sighed. She really couldn't wait much longer to finally put everything behind her and have him take her to see the world. The peace and serenity that surrounded them right now was exactly what she needed. Just the two of them, maybe the occasional encounter with family and friends, and loads and loads of new impressions. Oh, and umbrella cocktails.

"How about a ride before we return to town, my darling?"

Her eyes popped open. "Are you nuts?" She pointed at the black who never stopped staring at them. "He is _Caligula!_ He might not be able to throw you off, but I will fly into the mud faster than Damon!"

Klaus snorted. "No one falls off a horse faster than Damon. Do not worry, my love, you will be perfectly fine. My horse is very well-bred after all."

"He is _what?_ Niklaus, he goes berserk the second you mount him!"

Now he snickered and gave her a lopsided grin. "Chicken?"

"I knew it!" she exclaimed with mock outrage. "I knew that I would hear for the rest of eternity about not wanting to jump off a glacier! Okay, let's do it then. But I'm warning you, Niklaus – that horse of yours throws me off and ruins my three hundred dollar silk blouse, and you will spend a week in the doghouse!" _Ugh, come on, Caroline – couldn't you find an emptier threat? Two hours, and you will beg him to shag you again!_

He seemed to share her thought, but he just raised a brow and played along. Getting up from the hay bale, he stepped to the fence and put his hands on his hips, gazing at the black stallion who was now swishing his tail and staring back at him. "Listen to me, m'boy, you will have a lady riding you today. And whenever one is ridden by a lady, one has to be on one's best behaviour." Caroline inhaled sharply at his very unsubtle innuendo. Apart from the fact that Klaus _never_ behaved when she… _No giggling now! Keep a straight face!_

Caligula huffed and again, Caroline had the distinct feeling that he actually understood what Klaus was saying. The Original flashed into the barn and returned with a bridle and saddle. The black sidled about when he was fastening the saddle, probably nervous at the unfamiliar sensation. Klaus almost never used a saddle. When he was done, he led the stallion out of the paddock and swiftly mounted the horse. Then he held out his hand to her. Caroline swallowed, but she let him pull her up and position her in front of him, the reins in one hand while his other arm was securely wrapped around her waist. Caligula gave a short whicker but remained completely calm. Klaus gave him the spurs, and they trotted off into the fields.

It felt wonderful. The combination of the wind on her face, the strong, powerful horse beneath her and Klaus' comforting embrace was just amazing. She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into her man's chest, feeling his lips on her hair. It reminded her a little of their dog sleigh ride back in Norway. How magical that night had been! And thinking about it now, the magic between them was as strong today as it had been back then. She turned her head to the side and looked at the face she had grown to adore above everything else.

"I love you," she whispered.

His lips touched hers and his arm tightened around her waist. "Did you know that whenever you say that to me, it still feels like the very first time?" _Oh, hi, butterflies!_

For a long while, neither of them said a word. Then, all of a sudden, Klaus made Caligula fall into a full gallop. His arm held her securely, and Caroline's face split into a huge grin at the speed. It was exhilarating, and the longer they flew across the fields, the more she began to understand his passion for this. Of course it was not as fast as a car, but there was something fascinating about becoming an entity with one's horse while being a part of the scenery and breathing in the mild air. Caligula seemed to share their enjoyment, storming ahead in his supple and balanced pace. Caroline opened her arms and let her head fall back against Klaus' shoulder.

"Come on now, show my lady what you can truly do," Klaus spurred the stallion on, and she felt him gently nudge her upper body to hover lower over Caligula's neck while he rose infinitesimally to lighten the weight the horse was carrying and enable him to increase his speed. Caroline felt a rush of excitement course through her, making her give a euphoric cheer. Klaus laughed out loud at her delight, and they sped on for what seemed an eternity, without a care in the world.

When they finally returned to the paddock, Caroline patted the black and whispered, "You're amazing, Caligula, has anyone ever told you that?"

The stallion huffed, and so did Klaus. "Will you please not spoil him? He is a little too full of himself as it is, and I am not certain it will do him any good to hear even more praise."

"I don't hear you complaining whenever I tell you how amazing _you_ are," she snickered.

Now he folded his arms across his chest and gave a mock pout. "It is not that I could recall you saying anything of the sort lately," he grumbled, and Caroline stifled a giggle.

"May I quote myself? 'Oh, Niklaus, you're magnificent!' about three times last night. "Ohhh, Niklaus, you're incredible, oh please, do that again!' this morning. And something similar around noon."

"Why can't I remember hearing any of that?" he demanded with a grin.

"You might have been otherwise engaged."

His grin turned lewd. "Is that your subtle way of telling me that I couldn't hear anything because my head was buried between your lovely legs?"

_How can I still blush?_ "Kind of," she mumbled.

"Then you had better start speaking a little louder the minute we get home, my darling girl. And the half dozen times later tonight," he teased, and Caroline shook her head, grinning. _My freaking sex maniac. Oh well, question is, who of us is the greater addict?_

"What about the endless drive home?" she giggled, seeing the fire ignite in his eyes. For a split second, an image flashed through her mind, an image of her naked body in the grass, her legs spread, his tongue inside her, his hands roaming her skin. Biting her lip, she chased the vision away, forcing her frenzied libido to get a grip.

With a knowing and utterly delighted smile, Klaus held out his hand and jerked his head towards the car. "Shall we, then?" When they reached the M6, Klaus opened the door for her. Just as she wanted to climb into the passenger seat, he held her back. His eyes sank into hers and he took her face in his hands, kissing each corner of her mouth before releasing her to stare into her face again, his eyes full of warmth, tenderness and promise.

"Yes," she whispered, covering his hands with hers, "I love you, too, Niklaus."


	48. Any Volunteers?

**Hi dearies,**

**a very long chapter today, so please enjoy!  
**

**My thanks to the lovely guest reviewers: Marie, Anahita20, Christine1125, Justine, Bekki and the Anons! :)**

**And I would of course also like to wholeheartedly thank everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favourited! :)**

**THANK YOU!**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

ANY VOLUNTEERS?

Bonnie looked broken and lifeless. She was still shackled to the wall, but as Klaus had said, the bricks had been torn down and lay in a dusty pile at one corner of the minuscule den. Caroline sat down on the ground in front of the witch, silently waiting for Bonnie to acknowledge her presence. After a long while, she raised her head to look at Caroline who recoiled at the disdain in her old friend's eyes.

"Hail the queen," the witch mocked, bowing her head and lifting a corner of her mouth into a sarcastic grin. "Come to tear out my heart? Or will you let that _husband_ of yours do the dirty work for you?"

Closing her eyes for a moment, Caroline prayed for patience. She did feel like scratching Bonnie's face, and she most definitely felt like kicking her. But never once had she even entertained the idea of killing the witch. Her heart was heavy, for she still believed that something of the old Bonnie had to be hidden deep inside the woman she was looking at now, and it was hard for her to imagine that it was all just an illusion.

"You were about to extinguish the worldwide vampire population and to subdue each and every single witch and warlock on this planet. Many of them innocent people. Your friends are among them. Stefan and Elena. Damon. Me. And your Mom, for crying out loud! Seriously, how could you? And please don't give me the Marcel-was-such-a-visionary crap. You were planning nothing short of genocide! Why, Bonnie?" she asked sadly.

The witch snorted. "Can we just cut through the chit-chat? I really don't feel like a heart-warming farewell speech and a last-minute declaration of how misguided I was and how I'm looking forward to atone for my sins in eternal purgatory. Just get it over with and kill me already," she snapped.

Caroline's voice rose. "You should really know me better than that. It's a shame that you're not a vampire, though, as I most definitely feel like snapping your neck right now. Just answer me one question – what made you even _think_ about killing your own mother?"

"Let me remind you that your husband did the same thing with his mother for lesser reasons, and still you married him," Bonnie sneered.

"Yeah, but you're not Klaus. You're Bonnie, for crying out loud, the girl who loved her mother and her friends and who, in earlier days, was ready to give her life for a friend in need."

The witch just shrugged. "That was then. And just for your information, I would have resuscitated my Mom, Elena and Stefan."

Now Caroline folded her arms across her chest. "Well, you see, here's the interesting part. I'm pretty sure that Elena and your Mom would have gone on directly to the Eternal Realm. And from there, resuscitation is still only possible on a temporary basis. Your permanent spell only works when reviving someone who is bound to the Other Side."

Bonnie's eyes widened, and she stared at Caroline in disbelief. "How do you know?"

"Esther told me."

"But…" There was a long moment of silence as the witch tried to grasp the new piece of information. "I couldn't have brought back my Mom. And Elena. And…"

"Let me guess," Caroline cut in impatiently, "you and Marcel were planning on bargaining that power. Whoever wanted a relative resuscitated permanently would have had to pay. With loyalty, favours or whatever else it would have been you and Marcel wanted from that particular person."

Dazed, Bonnie nodded. "It would have cemented our position. Power was so vital to Marcel, more than anything else. He never actually spoke about it, but I could sense that he really envied Klaus, badly, and he wanted to be just as feared, powerful and notorious. He wanted to be the one people spoke of in whispers, the one people came to pay their respects to."

"And what was so important to you about all of this?"

"Marcel," Bonnie whispered desperately, and Caroline had the distinct feeling that she was indeed telling the truth. "I love him, Care. Which was why I wanted to give him his heart's desire. I wanted to make him the most powerful being in the world. Wouldn't you give anything for Klaus?"

Caroline pressed her lips into a thin line. "There is almost nothing I would not do for him. But I'm pretty sure genocide is where I would be drawing the line. Bonnie, I totally understand how absolutely one can fall in love. So much so that nothing else matters but that one man. It's happened to me, and I still feel like that every day. I gave my life for Klaus, and I'd happily do it again. But someone who truly loves you would never make you go against who you really are out of purely selfish reasons. And you're not a mass murderer, Bonnie, just as you're not a tyrant evil mastermind. You may have become a Black Witch, and I understand that you will never be my childhood friend again, but you're not who Marcel tried to turn you into."

The witch closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she looked at Caroline again. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Things have changed so drastically ever since I turned to Black Magic. And to Marcel. I like the knowledge and the power, and I stand by what I said to you months ago, right after you moved here – I would never want to go back to who I was. I'm a Black Witch by choice, and I won't return to being high school Bonnie, even if I could. Look, can't we agree on me staying out of your and Klaus' hair going forward, and you just leaving me alone as well?"

"Not enough," Caroline said briskly. "The moment I let you out of here, you will resuscitate Marcel and spend the next century working on new methods to extinguish us all. Sorry, Bonnie, but I'll need a little more reassurance. I need a guarantee. I won't allow you to threaten any member of my family and friends – who used to be _your_ friends, too – ever again. So I have decided that once the vervain has left your system, Klaus will compel you to forget all about the Pale Blood and the Original Grimoire. And… Davina will be neutralizing the additional powers Black Magic gives you. You will keep your magic, but you will lose the part that makes you dangerous."

Bonnie shook her head vehemently, a surge of panic on her face. "No, Care, please! Don't do that! I'll give you my word that I will never harm anyone you love, and I won't revive Marcel! Just please, let me keep my powers! I'm begging you! They're all I have!"

For a split second, Caroline felt pity. Bonnie had believed that she had found her place within the world of magic, and her place in life at Marcel's side. And now she was losing whatever certainty she had of who she was. Then again, she was Bonnie Bennett after all. She would always find her way.

"You will have to find something new. I'm not taking any more risks, Bonnie, because I'm tired of fighting and of continuously looking over my shoulder for backstabbers. I deserve some peace, and so do all of us. You will still be more powerful than most witches and warlocks because you are of one of the ancient lines, and I'm confident that you'll discover just as much knowledge and wisdom without the additional power Black Magic gives you. And I'm sorry to say, but even if you swore an oath never to resuscitate Marcel, I simply wouldn't believe you." She paused and looked at Bonnie intently. "With exception of Elena, Davina and Stefan, all of the others would prefer to see you dead. Even Elijah, and that means quite something. I won't have any of that, but I'll never forget what you were planning to do to all of us. And how you mercilessly separated me from everyone I love just to weaken Klaus."

The witch shrugged. "All's fair in love and war, isn't that how the saying goes? I did what I had to do, and I think you should be a little grateful to me for not erasing your memories of Klaus when Marcel asked me to. And… maybe one day, when you really need help, you'll live to regret your decision to have my Black powers taken from me."

"I don't see how, when I have an Original Witch in the family."

Now Bonnie's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it seems Davina will be joining the Mikaelson family at some point in the future."

"Wait a minute, she's in love with _Kol?"_ Bonnie exclaimed after a moment of perplexion, looking completely dumbstruck. "So she was in on this whole ruse all the time, ever since she sought me out for help on that boundary spell?"

Caroline nodded with a smile. "Yep. Looks like you underestimated her a little." Then she turned serious. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, but you'll have to remain here for a little while longer until we have resolved another pending issue. In the meantime, Davina will perform the spell to take your Black powers."

Bonnie looked like she wanted to protest again before she merely lifted a corner of her mouth. "I suppose I should thank you for sparing my life, but I won't. You took everything I had, Care, and I'll never forgive you."

"I'll have to live with that," Caroline replied sadly. "One more thing, Bonnie. You will leave New Orleans, and you won't return to Mystic Falls, either. I don't care where you settle, but Kol and Davina don't want you here, and who can blame them? Just as I don't want you anywhere near my Mom, Matt, Jeremy and any of our old friends, even though you no longer know what a friend is." Her heart broke a little at her next words, but she knew there was nothing she could do. At least not for a very long time.

"We will spread the word about what you were planning to do to the entire supernatural world. You will have no friends, no allies. Wherever you go, you are on your own, Bonnie."

* * *

They were all gathered at Remy's who had closed his bar for the general public, muttering something about how siding with the Mikaelson family would ruin his business one of these days.

Bonnie had been spelled the previous evening. Davina had had to consult Vicq Samedi's grimoire for the spell, but she and Silv had finally managed to work out the exact composition. Bonnie had screamed bloody murder, but Davina had not let it get to her. Now she was still incarcerated in the cellars, waiting for the vervain to leave her system, and although Davina had assured everyone that it was close to impossible for Bonnie to cause any major harm what with her lack of Black powers, Caroline was firm in not letting her go until they were clear on how to proceed with the Other Side.

Kol was holding Davina's hand, and Caroline idly wondered when the last time had been that her brother-in-law had done something as innocent with a woman he wanted. It also told her that they would need to find a solution soon. They would not be able to keep them from getting intimate forever, and it would also not be fair to either of them.

Stefan and Klaus had been out for a ride in the morning, and Damon was still sulking over not having been invited by either of them. Elena winked at Caroline behind her man's back. They had briefly spoken about it this morning, and Elena had had to giggle at the fact that Damon seemed to want to be part of the boys' club all of a sudden and was behaving like a pouting child when being excluded from any bonding missions. He was indeed looking maudlin, staring into his glass and muttering something about having to become a ripper in order to qualify for membership. Caroline had to stifle a grin, looking at Stefan who simply ignored his brother's foul mood, and then at Klaus who had a rather big smirk plastered on his told her that this was going to become a bit of a ritual going forward whenever the three of them met. She knew that Klaus had grown to truly enjoy the banter and lighthearted ribbing with Damon, and somehow, their Waldorf and Statler dynamics were really fun. Caroline remembered how last night, when all three of the Mikaelson brothers had left the house to speak with Tyler and the leader of the Plaquemine werewolf pack, Damon had approached her in the study where she had been sitting with a drink, catching a break. He had looked atypically serious, but just when he had been about to say something, Elena, Silv and Davina had burst into the room, chatting away. After a minute, the older Salvatore had silently left, and Caroline was still puzzled as to what that had been all about.

Tonight they were meeting to brainstorm. Klaus had wanted to include Remy, as there was almost no one in the world of the supernatural the Spaniard _didn't _know, and they needed to find a volunteer for their plan. Elijah was languidly pacing the room, looking lost in thought, while the women were gathered at the counter where Remy had just finished pouring a round of Cosmos, at which both Klaus and Damon crinkled their noses. Caroline grabbed her drink and gazed amusedly at Davina who did her best to look enthusiastic at the sight of her cocktail. At least for as long as Kol was watching. The instant he looked away, Elena took the witch's glass and downed the contents, pushing the empty glass back into her hand, winking. Remy looked somewhat offended until Caroline mouthed, 'Alcohol-free!' With a conspiratorial grin, the Spaniard nodded and went to fix another cocktail. When he was done, the result looked exactly like the other Cosmos. He handed it to Davina, who smiled gratefully and took a sip, nodding delightedly at the taste. Caroline caught Klaus' eye and they smiled at each other, with Klaus imperceptibly shaking his head at their pathetic attempt at covertness. For a second, Caroline entertained the thought that Davina's not wanting Kol to know that she didn't really care for alcohol let the witch's true age shine through for the first time – in this moment she was nothing but a very young girl who simply didn't want to appear uncool in front of the guy she fancied.

Once the discussion over suicidal candidates to help bring down the Other Side was in full swing, Caroline had some time to think. It had to be someone who didn't care about his or her own fate. Or someone with a loved one on the Other Side, a loved one they would want to travel on to the Eternal Realm. And it had to be made certain that he or she would end up on the Other Side after they died. Who had she met in her life that qualified on all accounts? She didn't know that many supernatural beings after all, and quite a few of them were already gone. She shook her head and returned her attention to Elijah who was just speaking.

"… so they would go on to the Eternal Realm. The challenge really is to find someone dark with suicidal tendencies, and that combination is not found all too often."

_Suicidal. Why suicidal? Why can't it be someone who would die for someone else? It makes much more sense to choose someone who would do this out of love, doesn't it? After all, the Golden Blood was born out of love and trust, and it is all about forces that represent everything the Other Side is not. And the desire to kill oneself is definitely not bright and positive. Then again, asking someone to die in order to bring down the Other Side isn't too nice, either… Gah, this is tricky! _

But they had to find a way, they just _had _to. For everyone trapped on the Other Side, especially for those who did never belong there in the first place.

And then the penny dropped.

"Anna!" she burst out, slapping her forehead. "Of course! Why haven't I thought of her before?"

All heads turned towards her, questioning glances abounding in the room. Quickly, she explained about the witch from Kaliningrad and how her son Anatol had landed himself a spot on the Other Side simply for experimenting with Black Magic once. "When I spoke to her alone, she told me that there was nothing she wouldn't do to get her son out of there and that she would happily die for him. What we would need to find out – apart from the question whether she would really be willing to do it – is if she has ever done anything that qualifies her for the Other Side."

Klaus and Elijah looked at each other, considering. Finally, Klaus nodded. "It is worth a try. I will give her a call and…"

"I do hope you will not mind my interrupting you right there, Niklaus, but I most definitely do not think that we should risk having you speak to her." Caroline, Elena and Silv giggled while Rebekah was nodding vigorously. Klaus pulled a face but did not protest. "Sister, why don't you give it a try?" Elijah asked, looking at Caroline encouragingly.

"Sure, but I think we should really not do this over the phone. Why don't I call her and ask her to come over to discuss whether she knows someone who would volunteer? If she really meant what she said back in Kaliningrad, I doubt she will hesitate for very long." She hung her head as a nagging feeling of guilt threatened to strangle her. "I can't believe I'm actually going to ask someone to die," she whispered. Then she remembered the vehemence behind Anna's words when she had said that there was nothing she wouldn't do for Anatol. The witch had been telling the truth, and still… Caroline felt terrible as she continued to speak. "Should she agree, we can always ask her whether she has done anything that would send her to the Other Side. If she hasn't, I'm sure that we'll find a nice little piece of Black Magic in Samedi's grimoire for her to perform."

"That is a very good idea, Caroline," Elijah admitted, shaking his head at his brother. "If Anna is not willing or does not qualify for whatever other reason, we need to continue thinking about alternative options. But let us try, by all means. I have a feeling that this might work."

Davina spoke up now, her hand almost disappearing in Kol's. "You might want to prepare your loved ones on the Other Side, should you have any. I will be happy to establish contact. Furthermore, this spell will be very, very massive. I cannot tell what the disappearance of the Other Side will mean to our world, whether there will be any physical impact. It is very well possible. The world has obviously not ended when the Other Side was created, so it is doubtful it will now, but there might be some consequences to its destruction."

Silence descended upon the room. Nobody had apparently thought this far yet, and it made them all uneasy. The Other Side was connected to the Plane of the Living, and once it went down, other things could come to pass as well.

_Let's just hope the world really doesn't end._

* * *

Anna arrived two days later. Their phone conversation had been rather brief. Caroline had explained that they had successfully taken care of the threat she had told Anna about back in Kaliningrad and that they had found a hypothetical way to help Anatol, but that there was one detail they would want to speak to her about. The witch had just replied that she was on her way and had hung up the phone.

Klaus was the one to open the door when the bell rang, and Anna simply walked past him, not even acknowledging his presence and automatically directing her steps towards the kitchen where she apparently sensed Davina who was sitting at the counter with Caroline, Silv and Rebekah. Damon and Stefan had gone _shopping_ of all things, and Elena was upstairs taking a bath. Elijah and Kol had a meeting with Sophie Devereaux and another witch. _Business as usual._

When Anna stepped into the kitchen, followed by Klaus, Caroline hopped off her stool and went to greet her. The witch's stony expression softened a little which made Caroline take a spontaneous decision. With the sweetest of smiles, she took Klaus' hand and squeezed it gently, her eyes drifting towards the hallway and back to him. He understood her immediately, and although he was very reluctant, he gave a quick nod, kissed her temple and left. Caroline was aware that he hated being left out, but he was nothing if not practical – he knew perfectly well that Anna would be far more open and accessible when she didn't have to look at his face.

Once they were alone, Caroline gestured towards the counter. "Please, have a seat, Anna. And thank you for coming, I really appreciate your help. We all do. Would you like a coffee or anything else?"

For an instant, it seemed that Anna was about to turn down any attempt at civility, but then she finally relaxed a little and nodded. "Would you have a tea, by any chance?"

Silv smiled and held out her hand. "I am Silv Mikaelson, Elijah's wife, and I am afraid you will have to be a little more specific when it comes to tea." She opened a cabinet, revealing dozens and dozens of tea caddies in all shapes and forms. "Black, green, white, Oolong? The men of this house are somewhat obsessed with tea, hence the confusingly large selection."

Anna pursed her lips and considered. "Is there any Russian tea in stock?" she asked after a moment.

Rummaging through the cabinet, Silv produced a colourful box she held out to Anna. "I am afraid we do not have any local Russian teas at the moment, but there is some Kusmi left. And we do have a Samovar, of course." Anna took the box, opened the lid and smelled. Then she nodded and gave Silv a tentative smile.

"That would be nice, thank you."

When Silv flashed off to fetch the Samovar from the study, Anna turned to Davina. "Your energy is very strong, young one. Am I correct in assuming that you are the Original Witch everyone on the Other Side has been speaking of lately?"

Davina held out her hand, and Caroline couldn't help but think that the young witch looked a little intimidated. As she herself had been when she had first met Anna. "I'm Davina. It is nice to meet you, Anna. And yes, I have been turned into an Original Witch. It is a rather long story."

Anna lifted a corner of her mouth. "I have nothing else to do."

While Silv set up the Samovar and began to prepare the tea, Caroline, Davina and Rebekah took turns in informing Anna about everything that had happened so far, about the Original Grimoire – leaving out the details – about Bonnie, Esther and Marcel and about Caroline's stay on the Other Side. Somewhere inbetween, Silv poured tea for everyone, and Caroline silently admired how she seemed to know exactly what to do with the Samovar, how to determine the precise moment the tea was ready and how to serve it properly. When she was done, they were all silent for a moment, sipping the hot, smoky brew. Anna inclined her head appreciatively.

"Where did you learn how to make a proper Russian tea?" she asked curiously.

"Elijah taught me," Silv replied. "He spent a considerable number of years in pre-revolution Russia, which is where he developed a taste for Samovar tea. We do not indulge in it overly often, as it takes a while to prepare, but I do hope it meets your taste."

Now Anna gave her a genuine smile. "It does indeed. It is very good. Back at home, I usually drink the stronger, earthier Russian brands. This one may be a little lighter, but its taste is impeccable. May I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

"Why have you chosen to become a vampire, Silv?"

The brunette took another sip of her tea before she answered. "It is very simple, actually. I love Elijah. And apart from the fact that he would never have let me die after the Old Witches took my powers – which I presume you heard about – I wanted to spend eternity at his side. Even if I had not been destined to lose my natural life, I would have let him turn me eventually. I made the mistake of letting him go once, in my youth, and I will never make the same mistake again."

Anna nodded. "I can understand that. Contrary to his brothers, Elijah is a good man."

Caroline stopped a sharp reply from escaping her lips, reminding herself that Anna did have a reason to hate Klaus, and it would not help anyone if she engaged in a discussion about Klaus' qualities. Anna had loathed him for too long, and nothing anyone could say would change her mind about him. Just as she took her tea glass, Davina spoke up.

"I beg to disagree. Kol is a good man, and so is Klaus. They may have been misled for a long while, but they're not truly evil. Neither of them is, not in their core."

The older witch looked at Davina very closely for a long time before she sighed. "You are in love with one of them. And judging by the way Klaus very obviously adores his wife and the two of you are still on speaking terms, I must assume that it is Kol. Am I correct?"

Davina flushed crimson. She looked at Rebekah first, then at Caroline and Silv before she spoke again. "Yes. You are."

"And I am beyond delighted to hear that, darling" a cheerful male voice sounded from the eyes were on the young witch who seemed to want to disappear from the face of the Earth when Kol appeared in the doorway, a broad, happy smile on his face.

"Not nice, Kol," Silv scolded, patting Davina's hand. Both Caroline and Rebekah scowled at the youngest Mikaelson brother who appeared to be entirely unperturbed by their reproachful looks. His eyes never left Davina who had turned an alarming shade of burgundy by now, and he held out his hand to her.

"Ladies, will you excuse us for a second?"

Her eyes on the floor, Davina took his hand and slid from the stool. Caroline noticed how Kol gently squeezed the witch's hand as he led her out of the kitchen. An instant later, the front door opened and closed, and Caroline was rather relieved that they hadn't gone up to Kol's room. It was much safer outside. Then again, if Kol was anything like Klaus, the great outdoors would be even more dangerous. But she did hope that Kol would be considerate enough not to let Davina's first time happen on the hood of a car or in some abandoned backyard. _No, you won't be thinking about you and Klaus and the hood of a car now, Caroline! Stop it right now and concentrate._

Anna shook her head. "I have to admit to being at a complete loss as to the apparent fascination of the Mikaelson brothers, but then again, it is none of my business. So tell me, what is your plan, and what do you need my help for?"

"Can we trust you, Anna?" Caroline asked very directly, her eyes never leaving the witch's. She inwardly slapped her forehead, thinking how she should probably have asked that question at the very beginning of the conversation. After they had looked at each other silently for a few minutes, Anna inclined her head.

"Yes. You can. I give you my word that I will never speak of what you are about to tell me, or anything you have told me earlier."

Caroline nodded, satisfied at the seriousness in Anna's voice, and explained about how the Original Grimoire described a way to end the Other Side. When she had reached the part about the Golden Blood, Anna's gaze fell on her little golden marks, and her eyes widened, but she said nothing. Silv then went on to talk about the particularities of the required spell and the ingredients for the concoction, and how Davina, as an Original, would be the only one able to perform the magic necessary to end the Other Side. "Provided that Mr. Mikaelson the Youngest leaves her intact. Should we check on them, just for safety's sake?"

"I'll go," Rebekah offered. "None of you would be able to drag him off her if need be." Caroline and Silv chuckled at the thought, and Anna raised an eyebrow as Rebekah flashed out of the house.

_Now we get to the difficult part._ "There is just one challenge, which is why we called you, Anna. We wanted to check with you whether you can think of any candidates that qualify for what needs to be done." She paused and swallowed. "In addition to everything we just described to you, a volunteer will be required. Someone who will have the concoction with Klaus' blood in their system when they die. And they have to die by choice, it can't be involuntary. So please think carefully if you know of anyone who would be ready to do this. We've been racking our brains and we came up empty, so we are now asking those we deem trustworthy whether they have any suggestions."

There was an endless silence. Anna had closed her eyes, and Caroline and Silv looked at each other for a long time before they both took up their tea glasses and returned their gazes to the witch. After a while, they heard the front door and an instant later, Rebekah returned with a radiant Davina in tow.

"I take it you were still on time?" Silv asked Rebekah with a grin, winking at Davina whose smile brightened even further.

Rebekah giggled. "No need. Nik was already on the task, but the lovebirds were more about gooey looks and chaste kisses than anything else. And we're safe for a few more hours at least, as Nik has just grabbed Kol and dragged him off to Remy's. I think he's going to give him The Talk," she grinned, making them all laugh. Even Anna, who had opened her eyes again, had to suppress a smile.

Caroline took Davina's hand and smiled at her very warmly. "Does this mean we're to welcome a new sister to the family soon?" she demanded.

"I sincerely hope not," Rebekah cut in, and everyone stared at her, frowning. She smirked and pointed at Davina's hand. "Not without a rock the size of a golf ball on her finger. The minute Nik lets my obnoxious brother out of his claws, we will have to brainwash Kol on how to do these things the right way!"

Davina spoke up now, her face still flushed and shining. "He didn't propose, so hold your horses. But… he did say that… once the spell is cast, he wants me to move into this house. Just for protection, according to him," she grinned, and everyone chuckled again.

"Well, _sister,_ we'll see how he fares, won't we?" Silv smiled, making Davina blush again at being called sister. "But this calls for something stronger than tea." In a flash, she left, and a second later, Caroline heard her rummaging through the wine cellar. She returned with a bottle of Krug and looked at Caroline apologetically. "I know this is something like Klaus' and your, ahm, _aphrodisiac,_ but I believe that this, too, is an appropriate occasion for Krug."

With a snort, Caroline winked at her sister-in-law, gave her an as-if-we-needed-an-aphrodisiac look and went to fetch glasses. After they had toasted and the women had hugged Davina, Anna spoke again.

"I think I have a candidate for you."

All eyes turned to the witch who had been watching the women very closely. She looked at each and every one of them and nodded.

"As I told you back in Kaliningrad, Caroline, there is nothing I would not do for my son, and that includes dying for him. I want to make it very clear that I am not doing this for anyone else, either on the Other Side or on the Plane of the Living. This is for Anatol, and Anatol only. And… for me." She paused. "I will transport the concoction to the Other Side."

"Anna, you are aware that once you have travelled on to the Eternal Realm, we will not be able to resuscitate you permanently?" Davina asked earnestly.

The older witch nodded. "Yes. And I do not wish to be revived. My life has been very long, and what is an even more decisive factor, it lost its meaning quite some time ago, not only because of Anatol's death, and I haven't found anything worth living for ever since. I want Anatol to move on to the Eternal Realm, and I want to find peace of mind."

Caroline looked at Anna very intently. "Anna, I…" She paused, at a loss for words. What did one say to someone who had just agreed to give her life? Biting her lip, she decided that Anna wasn't the sentimental type, so it would probably be best to stick to business. "You're a White Witch. Is there anything you have done to end up on the Other Side once you're dead?"

"No, nothing. But there is a very simple solution for this. I will perform a Black spell, a spell I am not powerful enough to execute. It will immediately backfire, as it did with Anatol, and I will die as a consequence. It will also send me directly to the Other Side. I will repeat what my son did, only that I will be doing it intentionally." She raised her glass of Krug and looked at Caroline again, a small smile on her face. "This is why you asked me to come, isn't it? You knew there was nothing I wouldn't do for Anatol, and you thought I would volunteer, am I right?"

Now it was Caroline's turn to blush deeply. Then she nodded. "I am sorry, Anna," she whispered, "I should have been honest with you from the beginning. I would never have asked you, but I hoped…"

The witch shook her head. "The minute you called and did not want to discuss things over the phone, I knew there was something more behind this. Had I not been ready to make sacrifices, I would not have come. And I stand by what I told you – I would do anything for my son, just as you would do anything for Klaus. You already died for him, so I will have to assume that your love for him is by no means less strong than mine for my son." After a brief pause, she looked at Davina. "I am a very old woman. I have lived my life, and I am ready to go, freely and wholeheartedly. I speak to my son on the Other Side regularly, and more than once, I have asked him whether he wanted me to have him resuscitated by a Black Witch, at least for a little while. He has always refused, for reasons I have never quite understood, although I believe he has simply put his earthly life behind him long ago. Will you be able to perform the spell, young one?"

Davina held out her hand, and the older witch took it without hesitation. They both closed their eyes at the same instant, and the energy that was flowing from Davina to Anna became almost tangible. Silv's eyes widened, and even Caroline and Rebekah understood that this kind of power was not something their sister-in-law had ever seen or experienced. The entire kitchen seemed to reverberate with the intensity of the energy that was transfusing between the two witches.

Shortly after, they opened their eyes again, and Anna nodded with a smile. "Oh yes, you will be more than capable of doing what is needed. When is it going to happen, then?" she asked of no one in particular.

"There are a few people on the Other Side we want to give a heads-up. You might want to inform Anatol as well. Davina, how much time will you need between having established contact with the people we want to talk to and performing the actual spell? To recharge your batteries, I mean?"

The brunette cocked her head and considered. "Not as much as I would have needed before, but to be on the safe side, I would say twenty-four hours. A spell this powerful has never been attempted, as far as I know, and it will probably soak up all my energy, so the batteries had better be full. How about we start contacting your people on the Other Side now? That will give me time to prepare the concoction tomorrow, and sometime tomorrow night, we will do it. Anna, how about you establish a few contacts as well? That will weaken your strength, and the spell you will perform tomorrow will backfire faster."

"A very good idea," Anna nodded. "Does anyone have a Black Grimoire, by any chance? We will have to pick the spell very carefully."

"I have my ancestor's, he was Vicq Samedi. We should find something in there. I will go home and fetch it, would you like to come along?" Davina asked.

The older witch smiled. "I would like that."

"And I will go with you," Rebekah offered. "Marcel and Bonnie can no longer harm anyone, but we shouldn't take any risks."

They agreed to get back together with everyone in two hours and contact Anatol, Alaric and whomever the men wanted to speak with. Caroline wanted to give both Ralph and Lau a warning, although she suspected Klaus wouldn't particularly like that. But she owed both of them, and she wanted them to know that their ordeal would soon be over.

* * *

A few hours later, they had spoken to Alaric, asking him to inform Rose as well. Elena and Damon had said their goodbyes, even though they would be able to speak to him from time to time, but connections to someone within the Eternal Realm were difficult and took up much of the involved witch's energy, therefore they were rare. Elijah had wanted to speak to Finn, although Klaus had deemed it a bad idea as he considered Finn completely intransigent and demented. He had loved his oldest brother in a peculiar kind of way, but he had never understood him. When Anna had established the connection, Finn, who was apparently not bound to the castle due to his Original status but could also not travel beyond sector three, had just scoffed at Elijah, stating that all of them deserved eternal hellfire and that he hoped the destruction of the Other Side would pull them all into perdition. Before he and Klaus could get into a full-blown argument, Anna had cut the connection, shaking her head at both brothers. Elijah and Rebekah had just rolled their eyes.

Caroline had first spoken to Lau who was mildly surprised, but then stated he should have expected something of the sort the moment Caroline had asked him where he thought he would end up within the Eternal Realm. He briefly spoke to Klaus, repeating his demand not to harm the last descendant of the Van Tale line, to which the Original grudgingly agreed on the same terms Caroline had already named. She ran a hand across his cheek and smiled at him when he muttered something about _most definitely_ not becoming a bloody bodyguard.

Finally, Davina established contact with Ralph. After Caroline had explained to him what was going to happen, he chuckled.

"A sly little thing, are you not, Caroline? So you came to speak to me to make sure that both Esther and Mikael would not escape the annihilation of the Other Side unscathed. I believe you can be rather certain that Padma will be welcoming a large number of new residents, two of which will be them." He was silent for an instant. "Is Niklaus with you?" he asked slowly.

Caroline looked at Klaus expectantly, and after a brief hesitation, he said, "Yes. I am here."

It seemed that Ralph was taking a deep breath before he spoke again. "Take good care of her, Niklaus. She is a very rare, very special young lady, and I believe you are aware that it takes an incredible amount of luck to encounter someone like her."

Klaus sounded a little stiff when he answered, "I know. I have waited a thousand years." He paused. "She says we look very much alike."

"My apologies, Niklaus," Ralph chuckled amusedly, "although I do have a dim memory of the ladies being very enthusiastic about my dimples, so I do hope that my face has not proven too great a disadvantage for you over the centuries."

"It has indeed turned out to be rather useful every once in a while," Klaus replied, grinning at Caroline who was folding her arms over her chest and looked at him in mock outrage, "but I believe my lovely wife is not overly fond of this particular topic. May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Have you known from the very start that I was your son?"

Ralph cleared his throat. "Yes, I have. Esther sensed the very second you were sired, and she immediately told me so. I was too much of a coward to claim you, to claim _her, _as mine. I have already told Caroline that I have regretted it ever since, but back then, I did not want to face Mikael, and I did not know how to combine a family with the challenge of my monthly transformations. I watched you during your human years, and I saw the way you were treated, especially by Mikael. It pained me."

"Not quite enough, it would seem," Klaus replied, not able to suppress the certain hint of bitterness that coloured his voice. "Mikael was close to killing me more than once, and no one was prepared to move so much as a finger for me. It was a brilliant school, however, for nothing gives you more strength than being hated by your own parents."

"I never hated you, Niklaus. How could I have? You were merely a boy, and none of the circumstances you were born and raised under can be blamed on you. I cannot change my decisions from a millennium ago, but the years have taught me just how wrong I was not to claim you. You… and your brother."

There was a long silence before Klaus spoke again. His voice was softer now, almost pleading. "Once you reach the Eternal Realm, will you go and find him? Tell him we were not half-brothers after all. Tell him I have always loved him and that not a day goes by that I do not think of him. Tell him… that I made them pay. And that I am sorry. So endlessly sorry." He took a deep breath, and Caroline was at his side in a blur, snuggling into his arms and running a soothing hand across his back. "Will you do that for me?"

"Yes, Niklaus, of course I will. Caroline, take good care of him, too."

"For the rest of eternity." She looked up at him, feeling him pull her closer, and gave him a silent promise.

_I will never stop watching over you, just as you will always look out for me. I will always put you first, the way you do for me. I will love you with every fiber of my being, and I promise to make up for all your lonely years by being there for you every single day. My heart, my soul and my body are yours, Niklaus Mikaelson, and you will be loved until all time ends._

His eyes sank into hers, and somehow, it seemed that he knew exactly what she was wordlessly conveying to him. He cupped her cheek and kissed her very softly, right before hearing Ralph's quiet chuckle.

"Who knows, maybe one day, when eternity has run its course, we shall meet again. Niklaus, I know you will always protect your family, as you have ever since you came of age, and I would like you to know that you are ten times the man both your father and stepfather were. I am well aware that my words will mean nothing to you, but I needed to say them anyway."

Elijah nodded, smiling at his younger brother. "I fully agree with Ralph, Niklaus, but then you already knew that."

Before Klaus could dismiss their words, which Caroline knew touched him very deeply, she cut in excitedly. "Ralph, why don't we resuscitate you right now? I mean, we can use Niklaus' blood, and…"

Ralph interrupted her before she could get carried away… or become too distracted by Klaus' incredulous face. "That is a very lovely idea, Caroline, but I am afraid there is a factor that will impede my permanent resurrection. I may be trapped on the Other Side, but I am essentially still an _inhabitant_ of the Eternal Realm, for lack of a better word. It is the plane I am anchored to. You could compare it to a traveler who becomes incarcerated in another country. Even though he is imprisoned in said country, he remains a citizen of his own land. Therefore, the physical rules that apply to me are those of the Eternal Realm – I cannot be resuscitated permanently. Furthermore, once I return to the Plane of the Dead, my first priority will be to find my second son."

Caroline hung her head. "I would have loved to see you again, Ralph. Maybe… maybe one day?" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe. Who knows. As I said… Niklaus is a very lucky man," the werewolf replied, and Caroline could hear the smile in his voice.

"I am well aware of that," Klaus muttered, then he hesitated. "Thank you for attempting to find Henrik. And... good luck."

"And to you, Niklaus."

The connection broke.

* * *

Caroline and Klaus had just descended from their room the next morning when the doorbell rang. She felt her husband tense next to her, and he jerked his head towards the back of the house. 'Kitchen,' he mouthed. Frowning, she flashed into the kitchen, finding Elena, Rebekah and the Salvatores having breakfast. Elijah and Kol had accompanied Silv and the two witches to Davina's house where they would be working on the concoction all day before they would all gather deep within the swamps for the spell to be performed.

She heard Klaus open the door, and a split second later, a bitter laugh filled the air. "What is it this time, mother? Are you looking to link Caroline to some nearly extinct species of exotic bird now, the Kakapo perhaps, seeing that your first attempt to use her as leverage has failed? Or do you have another proposal to make? If the latter, please do not bother as I am more than done with you."

Rebekah's face hardened, and she silently ghosted out of the kitchen to join Klaus at the door. After a moment, an unfamiliar male voice with a distinctly female timbre spoke out. "Niklaus. Rebekah. I did not come to cause any harm. I want to negotiate. Circumstances have altered and I have therefore changed my mind. Leave the Other Side intact."

"The Original bitch is a bit fickle, don't you think?" Damon whispered, rolling his eyes.

Stefan nodded. "I wonder what she'll be offering this time. It's not like she has much left to bargain," he mumbled. They all looked at each other questioningly, and then they heard Rebekah.

"You know, mother, for centuries and centuries, I have longed for you. But I have finally understood that I have yearned for a spectre. You were never a mother to any of us and yet, I always thought that through some miracle, we would one day be the family I have always dreamed of. The irony is that I _have _that family now, and there is nothing I could want less than for you to be a part of it, even in spirit. And whatever you want to negotiate, my answer will be no. So why do you not just return to the Other Side and enjoy what little time you have left there?"

The male voice laughed. "Rebekah, I have watched you over the years as I have watched all of you. There was something pathetic about your desperate quest for love and attention. You have been given everything – brains, beauty, strength and determination. And yet, you have chosen to pledge your life to the search for a man. Tell me, how many have you bedded over the centuries? Hundreds? Thousands? And not one of them has ever been inclined to remain at your side. Maybe you ought to think about who you are before lashing out at others."

Silently, Stefan slid from his chair and walked out of the kitchen at human speed. A moment later, his calm voice sounded from the hallway. "Don't bother, Klaus. She will be gone shortly, so don't get your hands any dirtier than they already are." Damon chuckled when he heard Klaus huff. "Your daughter, Esther, has been searching for love, that is true. But now that she has found it, she will spend eternity being loved and being part of a true family. However much you attempt to mock or belittle her, it will not change the fact that Rebekah's life will be worth living every single day. What have you achieved, other than having made almost every single being in the three worlds hate you, Esther?"

Caroline smiled, and it seemed to her that Bekah was actually sniffling a little. No one had ever really stood up for her, and she truly deserved it. The bitchy, dangerous Barbie Klaus they had all first met back in Mystic Falls had completely disappeared within the caring, happy woman they were living with now. For a moment, Caroline wondered how it would have changed the course of history had Klaus, Bekah, Kol and Elijah found love right at the beginning of their vampire lives.

"I am speaking with my children, Mr. Salvatore, so would you please be kind enough to step away and let me continue the conversation?" the male voice snapped.

"Stefan is not going anywhere, and I would suggest we end this discussion now, as we all have more important matters to attend to. Have a lovely eternity in Padma, mother, and be sure to convey the same wishes to my stepfather once you encounter him there," Klaus said impatiently.

There was a small rush of wind as the door was closing, when Esther spoke again. "I know how to alter Bonnie's spell so resuscitation from the Eternal Realm can be made permanent," the male voice said hastily before the door closed completely. "You could revive Henrik, Niklaus."

Everyone stopped breathing. Caroline could almost feel the hope blossoming in Klaus' heart, and she wanted to be with him so badly right now she had to grab the counter to keep herself from storming out of the kitchen and pulling him into her arms. But he had his reasons for not wanting her anywhere near Esther, and she should probably be reasonable for once. She heard him take a deep breath, and his voice was steady when he spoke again.

"Dearest mother, you may recall that Henrik died a human, not a supernatural, and can subsequently only be resuscitated once, which already happened six hundred years ago. I do therefore not believe a single word you have said. More importantly, I have no wish and no intention to ever bring back my brother. He has suffered more than enough during his two brief lifetimes, and he deserves the peace he has found in the Eternal Realm."

A quick, contemptuous laugh followed his words. "So that is what you call your cowardice, Niklaus? Your only reason not to revive Henrik is your fear of having to face his hatred, his scorn. You prefer for your younger brother to remain dead rather than confronting him, is that not right?"

"It is not," a serene voice suddenly sounded from outside of the house. _Elijah. How does he always know just when to make an appearance?_ "And I am utterly tired of my brother being called a coward, by you and that repugnant husband of yours. I have already said this to Mikael before we sent him into eternal limbo, and I will say it again now that you will share his fate: I have no parents. Mikael is not my father as you are not my mother. There will be no bargain, witch. The one single thing we all expect from you is to go to hell."

They heard a subdued choking sound, and then there was silence. Caroline raced out of the kitchen and found Klaus dragging the lifeless body of what seemed to be a human man into the side alley next to their house. Stefan had his arm around Rebekah's waist, and the blonde still looked a little shaken. Caroline stepped up to her and squeezed her hand. Esther had been her mother after all, and it was clear that her words had gotten to her – but so had Stefan's, too.

When Klaus returned from the alley, she moved into his arms and closed her eyes as she felt him pull her against his iron chest. For a split second, she concentrated all of her senses on the alley, and she was a little relieved when she heard flat, ragged breathing. He hadn't killed the man Esther had used for her little visit. She hadn't expected that he would, but she was still alleviated.

Elijah looked at everyone, then he put a hand on Klaus' shoulder. "The ladies have made great progress indeed. We will proceed tonight, as envisaged."


	49. The Perfect Storm

**Another big thanks to the guest reviewers - the Anons, Tricia, Lishous69 (hope you remembered your password :)) and Justine! :)**

**Okay, take a deep breath - and enjoy!**

**THANK YOU, everyone!  
**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

THE PERFECT STORM

It was almost midnight when they reached the little dry area in the midst of the swamps. Its remoteness from any signs of civilization was why Klaus had chosen the location in the first place. Both he and Kol knew the swamps inside out and had run a few perimeters around the area, making sure there were no unwelcome spectators.

Davina and Anna immediately began with their preparations, assisted by Silv, while the others were keeping their distance, leaning against trees or sitting on the ground. When Klaus returned, he just gave the witches a quick nod to let them know that there were no signs of life in close vicinity. Then he flashed over to Caroline, moving her away from the tree and leaning against it himself, pulling her back against his chest and wrapping his arms around her. She shivered at the soft kiss he pressed to her neck and covered his arms with hers.

When the witches were done, Anna opened Samedi's grimoire and laid it out on a large boulder. Klaus had mentioned to Davina that Samedi had died a human, and the witches had decided that it would be the perfect spell for Anna to use, as it required both the powers of the ancient lines and Black Magic, which meant that it was way too monumental for Anna to achieve. It had been the very last spell in Samedi's grimoire, and Silv had raised her brows when she read the complicated composition, remarking to Davina that her ancestor must have been almost as powerful as an Original in order to successfully execute a spell of this magnitude.

Just as Davina was about to carry the little bowl with the ingredients for the concoction over to Klaus in order to have his Golden Blood mixed into it, Anna stiffened. Her head jerked up and her eyes glazed over. Everyone was staring at her until she began to speak.

"Anatol! What is it?"

Her voice changed into a more energetic tone, like a young man's would sound. "Mother, you will need to make haste. I cannot speak long, but you need to know that the Old Witches have been informed of what you are planning to do, and they are on their way to put an end to your efforts. Hurry!"

The second Anna's eyes returned to their normal state, Klaus jumped into action. He bit his wrist and let a considerable amount of his blood pour into the jar while he began to issue orders.

"All right, everyone, listen closely. We will form two circles around Davina and Anna. If my assumption is correct and Esther is behind this, she is able to see where we are and will have told the Old Witches. However, not even they can return to the Plane of the Living in their own shape, so they will have taken possession of others' bodies. Presumably witches, as they will want to use magic, but they can also be vampires or werewolves. For the sake of time and proximity, I would suppose they have chosen those living in the swamps or on its outer rims. Anna, can you spell everyone against headaches and immobilization very quickly?"

The witch didn't even answer. She opened her arms and began to mutter. Klaus nodded appreciatively before he continued. "Kol, Elijah, Bekah. The four of us will cover North, East, South and West in the first circle. Should anyone breach our line after all, then Caroline, Silv, Elena, Damon and Stefan will take care of them. You will form a second circle, closer to Anna and Davina, and under no circumstances must you let anyone break through. Now, ladies," he was looking at Caroline, Silv and Elena, "I know how much you loathe violence, but we cannot be overly considerate of this right now. I have no idea how many there will be, and we have no time for any discussions or negotiations. Kill them. It they are vampires, break their necks if you prefer. Should anyone get bitten by a werewolf, do not panic, you know my blood will heal you afterwards. Anna, are you done?"

With a quick nod, the witch moved to stand next to Davina who had taken the bowl from underneath Klaus' wrist and set it atop a fallen tree trunk. She began to cast a spell on the concoction, and for an instant, Caroline saw the liquid in the bowl turn completely golden before it went back to purple. The instant she was done, she handed the potion to Anna.

"You will have to drink all of it."

While the older witch closed her eyes and began to hastily down the contents of the bowl, Klaus pulled Caroline into his arms and kissed her very hard. "I trust you not to put yourself in more danger than absolutely necessary," he mumbled before he released her. "Just call my name when you need me, my darling girl." He paused and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I love you, Caroline Mikaelson."

"As I love you. Go be my hero," she chuckled and kissed him once more, making him roll his eyes before he turned commanding general again.

"Caroline, you will stand right in the middle of the gap between me and Elijah. Silv, the gap between Elijah and Kol. Stefan, between Kol and Bekah. Damon, between Bekah and myself. Elena, stay with Damon, only a few steps behind. First circle at about a hundred and fifty yards from Anna and Davina, second circle fifty yards behind that. Go!"

Just before they all flashed off, Caroline quickly squeezed Anna's hand. "I know you're not doing this for us, but thank you anyway, Anna. Good luck, and I am glad you will be seeing Anatol again soon."

"So am I, Caroline. Now go," the witch smiled, and Caroline raced off behind Klaus and Elijah. While she was running, she heard Anna begin to cast the Black spell on herself. She was speaking loudly and clearly, and there was a strange vibration in the air. At the same time, Davina's voice began to resound through the cypresses, and there was a different kind of energy now, almost drowning out the vibration Anna was producing.

All of a sudden, she had no more time to listen to what was happening with the witches. They had all taken their positions, and not a minute too early. Klaus gave a subdued hiss, and knowing that his hearing was far more keen than anyone else's, they all got ready. An instant later, she heard them, too. There had to be dozens of them! A strong flash of fear surged through her, but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by concentration. Her eyes were on Klaus and Elijah who stood completely still, letting their attackers approach and almost run them over before they began to move in unison. Caroline tried not to let herself be too fascinated by the macabre aesthetics of the two most powerful men on the planet taking down a bunch of assailants in total harmony. It looked amazing.

Then she heard his voice. "Pay attention, my love," he murmured, and Caroline saw a vampire flash towards her. _You're messing with the wrong blonde, pal!_ She bared her fangs and sank into a crouch, feeling an unknown, weird kind of excitement inside her as the man sailed through the air. Intuitively, she ducked and rolled beneath him, being on her feet again in a blur. Before the vampire could turn around, she had snapped his neck. _Wow! Where did I learn that?_ There were more of them coming, and Caroline began to truly fight, in a way she never had in her entire life. Her movements were fluid, fast and effective, and she had absolutely no explanation for her sudden skills. The only thing she knew was that she felt powerful, strong and nearly invincible. She had put down about half a dozen assailants when she got a good look at Klaus again.

He moved exactly like she just had. Or rather, _she_ had moved the way he did!

Before she had to immerse herself in the fight again, a fleeting thought crossed her mind. Was it possible that the golden Signum somehow helped her when she was in danger? Giving her some of Klaus' abilities in order to have her survive the fight, just the way it had warned her when she had been about to fall into the Pits?

Another vampire was coming at her now, and she almost danced out of the way. But this time, she hadn't been fast enough, and she felt a pair of hands around her neck. _No!_ She grabbed the hands and tore them off her throat, surprised at how easy it was. In an almost indiscernible move, she turned around, and before the vampire could even blink, her hand was in his chest and she tore out his heart. Still shell-shocked at her own strength, she saw Klaus out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at her in amazement while smashing a werewolf into the ground and stepping on his chest. She looked up at him and shrugged, shaking her head in perplexity.

The fight raged on for a very long while. The two circles were still intact, and all of them fought off the dozens and dozens of attackers that were attempting to break through, coming at them from all sides. Caroline felt a light pressure in her head almost the entire time, a sign that the witches were attempting to give them migraine. But as they were being constantly attacked, they had no chance to develop any more complicated spells that could have caused true harm.

She was just about to face the next attacker when she felt a large set of teeth sinking into her shoulder. She screamed in acute pain, but the teeth didn't loosen their hold. At the same time, another vampire came at her, his hand outstretched, aiming for her chest. But he never reached her.

With a deep, dark cry of rage, Klaus was flying through the air, tearing out the vampire's heart before she had even seen him land. Then the teeth in her shoulder were gone, and she heard a terrible howl as the werewolf quite literally lost his head. She was pulled from the ground and her head was pushed towards his neck until she felt his skin underneath her lips and instinctively sunk her fangs into his veins.

And in the midst of mayhem, of the sights and sounds of war, Caroline found a moment of utter peace and bliss in Klaus' arms, with his Golden Blood flooding her mouth and his protective body shielding her from everything and everyone. Just when she was about to forget her own name at the sheer paradisiacal taste of his blood, he pulled her off his neck and shoved her away. A witch was coming at them, her arms outstretched, her fingers moving. Caroline felt a beginning weakness inside her limbs, but it didn't last long. Klaus had put the witch down in no more than the blink of an eye. Then he was gone, fighting off three attackers at once, and Caroline shook off her daze and threw herself back in the fray. Her shoulder still hurt a little, but she could already feel it healing.

Suddenly, a bright beam of light flashed across the sky, and a roll of thunder ripped through the atmosphere. Everyone halted in their movements, staring incredulously at what was happening in front of them.

From where Davina was standing, her arms wide open, her face lifted towards the skies, a broad, solid golden aurora was rising, illuminating the swamps and bathing them all in its radiant light. It felt warm and soothing, and Caroline thought that there was something like a taste to it, the way the air at Black Witches' Alley had been all tarry and smoky. Only that this flavour reminded her more of… Klaus' blood.

There was a loud, agonized scream, followed by numerous others. Their assailants were dropping to the ground like flies, one by one, the Old Witches apparently being pulled out of the bodies they were inhabiting. Caroline saw a tall, burly vampire still standing upright, and a craggy, clangorous voice rose above everything.

"It is _his_ world you are destroying, Niklaus. One day, he will rise to avenge it. And not even your powers will suffice to impede that."

Klaus inclined his head. "I shall take my chances, mother. Who is _he,_ by the way?"

The vampire's voice was fading now. "His name has been lost in the haze of the millennia. He was the first. The very first. He was all of us in one. He was…" When the body dropped to the grounds, another roll of thunder echoed through the cypresses. It was much louder and sounded somewhat sinister. _I have a bad feeling about this. We should really get out of here… _

It seemed that everyone was having the same idea, as there was a sudden commotion among the family. Klaus was at her side instantly, just as Elijah was at Silv's. Caroline saw Kol race over to Davina whose arms had slowly descended. She had stopped speaking, a sign that the spell was in full flow, and right before she was about to faint, Kol caught her and scooped her up in his arms.

"Let us get out of here, _stat!"_ Klaus commanded, his voice booming over the thunder. "Leave the cars. We will run."

And they did. They flashed off, the Originals covering the rear, shielding them from what could possibly come up from behind and letting the slower vampires dictate the pace. Kol was carrying an unconscious Davina, and once they had left the swamps behind, they raced towards the city. Even though the passing houses and buildings were nothing but a blur, Caroline could see that people had stepped outside, staring at the ever-changing colours of the skies and listening to the gargantuan thunders. There was fear on their faces, and who could blame them?

It seemed like forever before they finally reached the house. Kol immediately carried Davina up to his room and did not emerge again. They had heard her extremely accelerated heartbeat, and it would probably remain that way until it was over. None of them had any idea of what to expect and how long things would take. Caroline supposed that the destruction of an entire world would not be achieved within a couple of hours. She hoped with all her heart that her friends on the Other Side wouldn't have to suffer during the transition.

They all looked a little ragged, and Silv had just suggested they all freshen up a little when the lights went out. Klaus flashed to the next window and gazed outside.

"Power outage. Everyone who has not fed during the last few hours, get the blood bags out of the refrigerator and feed now. Depending on how long the outage will last, the ladies will have to feed on us going forward. Stefan, we will have to find a solution for you. When was the last time you fed?"

"This morning, on a deer. I should be fine for a while," the younger Salvatore brother replied.

Klaus nodded. "Good. If things get critical, we will need to find a way to get over to the zoo. Everyone, something tells me that this strange storm will last for a while. As an entire plane is being abolished, there will be tangible consequences. I am well aware that we are practically indestructible, but we should reduce the risk to a minimum. Should we have to venture outside, it will be either Rebekah, Kol, Elijah or myself. The rest of you will remain inside." He paused and considered for a moment before he went on.

"Silv, get the candles you have stashed in the cellar, as we will definitely need them. Stefan, there is some wood piled up in the tunnel we can use for the fireplace. We should all have a quick shower right now, as I am not certain for how long we will still be able to. Without wanting to sound suggestive, but showers should be shared in order to save water." Everyone had to smile at that, and Klaus winked at Caroline. "I will go out now to obtain a larger supply of bottled water, more wood and some canned food, as we might need it for Davina. Elijah, would you care to join me?"

The older Original gave a quick nod. "Of course, brother."

Now Caroline spoke up. "If you have to go out anyway, why don't you check whether you can find a battery operated cooler box? My Dad used to have one of those when we went camping, and I'm pretty sure there will be more sophisticated models available today. We can store the blood bags in there, and maybe you can also get some animal blood for Stefan."

With a broad smile, Klaus squeezed her hand. "As I have always said – not just another pretty face." He turned to Stefan. "Any preferences in zoo animals, mate?"

Grinning, Stefan shook his head. "Not really. But something along the line of tigers, lions or leopards would be nice."

"That will be a surcharge of five dollars," Klaus snickered, making Stefan laugh. Rebekah squeezed his hand and looked at her older brothers.

"I will join you. Kol is still here, he and Stefan can look after Caroline, Silv and Elena."

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Damon complained. "It's not like I'm unable to oversee a couple of women for a little while."

Just when Elena opened her mouth to snap at the older Salvatore for wanting to 'oversee' them, a thunderbolt cracked right above the house, and without further warning, the winds began to howl. It sounded scary and threatening, and Caroline was sure that not even the Originals had ever witnessed anything like this.

"We had better leave now," Klaus muttered. "Something tells me we should be getting back as quickly as we can."

* * *

Caroline was nervous.

Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah had been gone for almost two hours, and during that period, the storm had truly begun to rage. Everything was rattling, and the winds made the Roaring Forties in Patagonia seem like a light little breeze. She hadn't known that anything could make this kind of noise. It was more than howling by now, it almost sounded like screaming, and for an instant, she wondered whether they were the voices of the inhabitants of the Other Side, but she didn't dare say it aloud. The others would call her crazy.

After their very brief showers, Silv, Elena, Damon, Stefan and Caroline had gathered in the study. Damon had lit the fireplace and Silv had poured a round of brandy. Kol was still upstairs with Davina who hadn't emerged from unconsciousness so far. He wouldn't leave her side, so Caroline brought him a glass of brandy and squeezed his shoulder encouragingly, asking him to just call if he needed anything. He had looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes, looking as utterly devastated as she had never seen him before. She had given him a fierce hug, telling him that everything would be fine and Davina would wake the minute the spell was fulfilled. _"She has to," _he had just murmured and returned his gaze to the witch's pale face.

At very long last, they heard sounds from the wine cellar, and a few moments later, the three Originals appeared in the study doors, followed by Remy who was carrying what looked like a year's supply of alcoholic beverages. They were all completely disheveled. Elijah dropped a pile of wood next to the fireplace while Rebekah stored a large paper bag that contained nothing but candles. The oldest Original motioned towards the wood.

"There is more in the tunnel now. If it gets worse outside, we can always fell the tree right next to the tunnel entrance, but I sincerely hope the storm will not last that long."

Smiling at Caroline, Klaus assented. "None of you should venture outside for the time being, and I am serious. This storm is nothing we have ever seen, and as it is of supernatural provenance, we do not know what it is capable of doing. This house is probably the most solid building in all of New Orleans, as I built it myself, and we will be fine in here. We brought two cooler boxes and a few fresh blood bags. They are in the wine cellar. Stefan, you will be delighted to hear that we obtained three bags of blood from a very forthcoming White Bengal Tiger."

"Oh my God, aren't those under protection? Please tell me it is still alive!" Caroline shrieked, and there was a moment of silence before everyone burst into laughter. Klaus stepped up to her and pulled her into his arms, still grinning.

"Why am I not surprised, my love? Do not fret, the poor thing was so afraid of the storm that it was merely hiding in a corner, pressed to a wall, unmoving. I made a little cut, and the blood came pouring out. I filled three bags and left the cat to the sleep of the just. Beautiful animal, by the way," he smiled before he gave her a very soft kiss on the lips. Then he turned around and nodded at Remy. "Make yourself at home, mate. Upstairs, the third room to the left of the hallway will be yours. I will have a shower now, before we run out of water."

He kissed Caroline again, running his knuckles across her cheek and pulling her close for a second before he flashed off upstairs. Caroline turned towards Remy and gestured at one of the armchairs. "Why don't you have a seat, Remy? And would you care for a drink?"

The Spaniard smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Caroline. It feels strange to be _offered_ a drink for a change. Is there any Armagnac, by any chance?"

* * *

The storm raged on and on.

Not a corner of the world remained untouched by the tempest, although it seemed to be worst within the Southern United States. They followed the news on Stefan's iPad until it ran out of battery, then they used everyone's cell phones until they were down, too. There was no other news than the storm of the millennium. Many people no longer dared to leave their homes, and the world had all but come to a standstill. Meteorologists, climate researchers, scientists… everyone had an opinion, everyone had a theory, and the more theories came up, the more abstruse they became. Over the next few days, religious sects were booming, and calculations were made according to which the Maya had been wrong about December 2012 and actually confounded the year the world was supposed to come to an end. Judgment day, global warming, solar winds, the harbinger of an asteroid… an eclectic variety of explanations was given, but none of it served to appease people's fears.

Caroline had called her Mom, asking her to remain inside until she called her again to let her know it was over, just as Elena had called Jeremy who was in Denver.

And now the Mikaelson family and their friends were waiting. The house remained almost undamaged, apart from some tiles that had been torn off the roof, and there was little more to do than listen to the screaming winds and the rolling thunder and to watch the surreal, golden and orange lightnings flash across the dark, heavy skies. At some point, due to the lack of anything else to do, Klaus and Elijah had sat down with the primeval Original Grimoire, going through the whole manuscript again word for word. Damon and Elena were playing chess while everyone else was reading. Klaus was about to lift his glass to his lips when his hand stopped in midair and he stiffened.

"I remember Samedi saying something about the Original Grimoire being laced with a great amount of meaningless poetry in order to disguise the true significance of the contents, which is why I never paid overly much attention to it. But bloody hell, how could I have overlooked this?" he said to his older brother, pointing at a passage within the text. Elijah leaned forward and read aloud.

**The dawn of nightfall has its wells  
Where mankind's cradle first has risen.  
An outcast's darkest tale it tells,  
His curse a never-yielding prison.  
With scorn, his arm commands the flood,  
And sorcery, full moon and blood.**

**All paths on Earth within his span,  
But nowhere is his soul at rest.  
He is not God, he is not man,  
A realm he seeks, with darkness blessed.  
Six times the sun has hid her hand  
Before the shadows found their land.**

The older Original pinched the bridge of his nose, reading the paragraphs again before he looked at Klaus and nodded. "It would seem we found some hints at the originator of the Other Side after all, brother."

All of them had big question marks on their faces, but Damon was first to speak up. "Would you mind not letting the rest of us die in ignorance? What the heck are you talking about?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "And there I thought you only had difficulties when it comes to horses," he snickered. "All right, very slowly. 'The dawn of nightfall has its wells where mankind's cradle first has risen.' Dawn of nightfall means the beginning of darkness, in this case, the supernatural. Where mankind's cradle first has risen, that leaves some room for interpretation indeed." He looked at Elijah whose thoughtful gazed had drifted to the fire.

"If we proceed on the assumption that the document refers to the first humans, as in homo sapiens, we would have to look to Africa. Ethiopia, to be exact. However, some level of civilization will need to be presumed, therefore…"

"… we should consider the earliest cultures. And as the document speaks of a cradle that has 'risen', I am relatively certain we are dealing with the first solid, 'risen', settlement. Which was a village called Mehrgarh, in what today is Pakistan," Klaus completed Elijah's sentence. He rose, strode over to one of the bookshelves and chose a large, leather-bound atlas. Placing it on the couch table, he knelt on the rug and flipped through the pages. Opening a map of Pakistan, he pointed at a spot on the Western side of the country, right at the Bolan River, near the city of Sibi. "This is Mehrgarh. It is an archaeological site of major significance, and its discovery in the seventies entirely changed the perception of the Indus Valley's history. A number of settlements have been found in the area, and there is general consensus that the first relatively solid housing in history had been built in Mehrgarh."

They pored over the atlas, sipping their drinks and doing their best to ignore the raging storm outside. Klaus grabbed Caroline's glass and took a swig, running a finger along hers before he went on. "The next piece is easy – an outcast, trapped within his curse, which we can safely assume has something to do with supernatural powers. It is a highly interesting question whether it was some sort of spontaneous genetic mutation, or if he has been spelled by someone else in the first place. Caroline, if I remember correctly, you told me there were rumours that the creator of the Other Side was an extremely powerful warlock. And he must have felt wronged by someone, hence the scorn. I am not certain about the flood, although I do wonder whether it refers to the Great Flood as mentioned in the Bible. Be that as it may, the rest is clear – blood, moon and sorcery. This man, whoever he was, must have created the first vampires, werewolves and witches. If we base our assumptions on the first solid settlement in Mehrgarh, we are talking about events that took place around 6.000 to 5.500 B.C."

Elijah nodded, and all of a sudden, his eyes lit up and he flashed to the opposite end of the study, pulling another book from the shelf. Carrying it back to the desk, he immersed himself in it for a short while before he looked up again.

"It has never been confirmed, as the end of a significant part of the Mehrgarh civilization lies in the dark, but one of the more outlandish theories on the sudden extinction of the second Mehrgarh period was a massive flood. It has always been dismissed as pure fantasy due to the fact that the settlement was located high above the river and under normal circumstances could never have been reached by any water. Interesting," he added pensively.

Assenting, Klaus ran a hand through his hair. "The second part of the poem is simple. Our man never found peace, however much he wandered the Earth. He did not fit in anywhere, and judging by the line about his neither being a man nor a God, we can assume he was a something more than a warlock, but I cannot say what he could have been. So he was searching for a dominion of his own, and it took him six days to create the Other Side. Which leads us to believe that the storm will be raging for six days before everything is over."

There was a long silence before Caroline whispered. "Six days for six sectors."

Running a hand over her hair, Klaus smiled at her appreciatively. "Very good point, my love. So if our assumptions are correct, we will have three more days to go. And once the power is up and running again, it might be worth our while to entertain some research on Mehrgarh's legends. Although it will probably be more rewarding to travel to Pakistan and inquire on location. Notwithstanding the fact that this has happened millennia ago, lores and myths have a tendency to persist, being passed on from generation to generation. They are altered and corrupted, but there is always one little grain of truth to every legend." He took Caroline's hand, turned it around and tenderly kissed the inside of her wrist.

She looked at him, and her features softened at the sight of his face. He was intrigued, and his eyes were shining with curiosity. The funny thing was, she could totally understand him. Her interest was piqued as well, and after all, they had unlimited time on their hands. "Why don't we do that?" she suggested with an enthusiastic nod. "Travel to Mehrgarh and try to find out more, I mean? Maybe at some point, we could also contact someone within the Eternal Realm… Alaric or Ralph, for instance… to do some research on their end?"

Klaus took both of her hands in his and shook his head, wonder in his eyes. "Perfect," he whispered, adoration in his voice. "Simply perfect."

"I've never been to Pakistan," Damon commented after he had snatched the atlas from the table and studied the map. "Lena, what would you think of an archaeological expedition?"

Before the brunette could answer, Klaus released Caroline's hands, turned towards the older Salvatore and narrowed his eyes. "And who, pray tell, invited you, mate?"

"Hey, Kim Jong-Il, this is still a free country. I can decide to travel wherever I like, and if I happen to want to visit Pakistan, then that's exactly what I'll do. Apart from that, do you seriously believe I'm going to let you claim all the glory if you discover anything?"

"You should really find your own playground and let the adults take care of the serious business," the Original snapped, and as so often before, the two of them were suddenly in the midst of a heated banter.

Rolling their eyes, Caroline and Elena left them to it and joined Elijah and Silv who were poring over the book on Asian myths and legends the older Original had previously grabbed from the shelf. Stefan and Rebekah were already looking over Elijah's shoulders. "Actually," Stefan said, "I like the idea. It would be fun to play Indiana Jones, and quite honestly, I have the feeling that it could be useful to find out as much as we can about this… guy, warlock, demigod or whatever he was. If he really is in the Eternal Realm, who knows, maybe he can find a way back to avenge the loss of his creation."

"But if he liked it so much, why did he leave it in the first place?" Rebekah objected with a quizzical expression. They looked at each other, shrugging, until Elijah spoke.

"That is a very good question, little sister, and one well worth investigating. Once the more puerile members of the household settle their… _brawl,_" he cast a pointed glance at Klaus and Damon who were still arguing, "we might all want to consider travelling there together. Although it will still take a while until the dust settles after what happened, and I would like to remain here with Kol and Davina for some time until they are established."

Caroline nodded. "There are a couple of things I would like to do before that, too. Why don't we just say we all get together here in about two months and decide from there? I'm pretty sure we all need to catch our breath once this is over."

"You can say that," Elena muttered.

* * *

After six days and six nights, the storm disappeared as suddenly as it had begun. The world awoke from its daze and licked its wounds, as it has always done. There were some scattered comments about how the air seemed cleaner, crisper in the aftermath of the storm, but as there were no empiric data to support any of it, no expert dared to voice their thoughts aloud for fear of being ridiculed by the scientific community. For a storm of this enormous an intensity, there had been surprisingly little damage and only occasional casualties, which was another major topic of discussion throughout the world. Heads of state, scientists and religious leaders voiced their relief at how this ordeal was now over and how the entirety of mankind had passed the test. The cleaning up began and very quickly, the world was back to business as usual.

On the morning after the last storm night, Davina had finally awoken. Kol had not left her bedside during the entire week, and the whole family was gathered when she came to.

"Did it work?" she whispered, her voice scratchy and weak. But they could all feel the energy slowly returning to the witch.

Kol kissed her hand and nodded. "Big time, darling. But you missed all the action. You have been sleeping for all of six days and nights."

She closed her eyes briefly before she opened them again to look at everyone. "I've seen him," she murmured, and a shiver ran through her. "The creator of the Other Side. He appeared to me in… a dream, a vision, or whatever it was. He was all hooded and dark, I couldn't really see his face, and he stared at me forever. Then he whispered, _'You were my counterpoint, woman. But who will be yours?' _I have no idea what he meant." She was silent again before she asked, "Can I have some water?"

When Kol helped her sit upright, Klaus jerked his head towards the door, signaling for everyone to leave. "We will speak when you are stronger. You performed a miracle, Davina, and I am utterly impressed."

The young witch flushed and lowered her head. "It was the right decision, Klaus. I saw the sectors before they were destroyed. I saw the sorrow, the suffering, the boredom. The endless agony in the Pits. You chose very wisely."

"Unlike you," he grinned on his way to the door, and when she looked at him questioningly, he pointed at his younger brother. "_That_ was most definitely not the wisest of choices."

Davina's eyes locked with Kol's, and she cupped his cheek with her hand. "I beg to disagree. I could not have chosen better."

Just as Kol's lips touched hers, Klaus closed the door behind him.


	50. Mahalo

**Mahalo Hawai'i - one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the privilege of visiting! :)**

**Another very big thanks to the guest reviewers - Tricia, Dillan, Bekki, Nikki, Anahita20, Marie and the Anons! XXX**

**Now that they have destroyed the Other Side and defeated their enemies, it's time for a little more fluff for Klaus and Caroline, don't you think? ;) Today's is the next-to-last chapter, there's just the epilogue left now... but there will be a little treat in there, too... so please do enjoy.**

**THANK YOU EVERYONE, you all rock! :)**

**XX**

* * *

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

MAHALO

Right before she hit the water, Caroline squealed with delight.

For the first time – at least on _this_ plane – she had dared to jump a real height. The waterfall, part of Maui's famous Ohe'o Gulch, thundered over ragged rocks, cascading into a large, rock-framed pool of warm water about fifty feet below. She emerged from the depths of tha basin and laughed out loud, her heart almost bursting with joy at watching Klaus standing at the top of the falls, gazing down at her. She let herself float, looking up and waiting for him to jump. But he just stood there, a happy, dimpled smile on his face. The face that became more devastatingly beautiful to her every single day.

"Chicken?" she asked quietly, knowing he could hear her perfectly well even over the thunderous water.

"Maybe. What do I get if I jump?" he asked, and Caroline smirked at the reminder of their conversation on the way to the Perito Moreno.

Silently, she kept her eyes on him as she unfastened her sapphire blue bikini top and floated on her back again, letting her bare breasts emerge from the water ever so slightly. He crossed his arms, but she could clearly see the sparkle in his eyes.

"Not nearly good enough."

Biting down a grin, she let one hand slip underneath her matching blue thong. Her breath caught when she saw his eyes widen infinitesimally at the motions of her hand. And she could have sworn that his trunks were becoming just a little bit too tight. _Still not enough?_ In a flash, she had rid herself of the thong and exposed her naked body to him, running her hands over her skin and gazing up at him longingly, sighing with relief when she saw him step forward to the edge. The butterflies went into a hysterical round of Hula at what he said next.

"You know I adore your body beyond words, my angel," he murmured hoarsely, "but what truly brings me to my knees is the look in your eyes."

_Sigh. _

She should have expected him to not merely _jump._ It reminded her of a high-diving competition she had once watched on TV. He did a couple of somersaults and a twist before he elegantly dove into the water next to her. An instant later, she was pulled underneath the waterfall and his lips hungrily covered hers while she made quick work of the single piece of clothing that was still in their way. God, how she loved his naked body! Her hands wandered all over his skin, just as his were exploring her.

All of a sudden, she heard voices in the distance.

"Niklaus, stop, there are people coming," she hissed, trying to push away his hand, but he just silently pulled her behind the waterfall. There was a small space between the cascade and the lava rocks, and Caroline even spotted a little cave. Klaus' back was resting against the craggy wall, and his hands were on her butt, slowly drawing her towards him. Caroline turned around nervously to look for the humans that were just about to arrive when he entered her without a warning. Her head flashed back around, and a low moan escaped her. _Damn, this feels incredible… go away, humans, _please!

The hikers had reached the natural pool by now, but they could thankfully not see through the waterfall. Caroline prayed that they wouldn't want to swim, for there was no way she would be able to put a stop to what her man had just started. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she held on to his neck and let her head fall back as Klaus took her. Slowly, gently at first, but gradually increasing his pace. She felt his hard, massive cock glide in and out of her again and again, making her shudder with pleasure while she attempted to strangle the moans and gasps that threatened to escape her. Then again, if she was to be perfectly honest with herself, she no longer cared about the humans at the edge of the pool. An actual little thrill ran through her at the thought of getting caught, but it was quickly replaced by the much greater thrill of Klaus' subdued groan that made every fiber of her body tingle.

"Faster," she whispered right at his ear, feeling a tremor rock his divine body, "and really, really hard, Niklaus, please!"

In a flash, he had them out of the water, and Caroline found herself with her back against the cave wall while he entered her again, wrapping one of her legs around his hip. His hands were flat on the rock next to her head, and he looked her in the eyes before he pulled out and lingered for a second. Then he slammed her hard against the wall with his brutal thrust, drowning her ecstatic scream with a deep, devouring kiss. One of his hands grabbed her butt and smashed her into him with each and every move of his hips while his lips left fiery traces on her throat. Caroline felt like fainting. It was heaven. Klaus buried his face in her shoulder as he continued to mercilessly pound into her. His voice was nothing but a ragged grumble.

"Ah… Caroline… fuck, _yes! _Come for me, my love. Now."

And there was nothing she could do but obey his command. The instant she exploded around him, his hand was at the back of her knee and lifted her leg as high as it went, heightening the intensity of her orgasm just another little bit. "Niklaus… I… I…," she stammered, not sure what exactly it was she wanted to say when she felt him tremble and sensed how he all but burst inside her. She was still climaxing when his thumb found her hot, throbbing clit.

"You will… come… with me… again," he choked out, and then there were no more words. Their mouths found each other, drowning out their sounds of sweet, rapturous ecstasy.

_How can it be this ridiculously amazing every single time? _

* * *

That night, they were sitting on the lanai of their suite at the Four Seasons Wailea. The sun had just set, and Caroline drank in the scented air, the soft sounds of music floating up from the pool bar and the sight of the subtly illuminated palm trees. From the very first second she had set foot on the island, she had been head over heels in love. The Cook Islands had been otherworldly, an unspoiled, remote piece of paradise, but Maui was different. The sights and sounds of nature were overwhelming, but the island was bustling with life, music and people. The ocean was alive and vivid, displaying an incredible array of shades of blue, and the air was fragrant, soft and lovely. Each and every day she silently thanked Klaus for having brought her here, and there were moments when she was secretly hoping she would never have to leave again. Oh God, how she wanted to stay!

When the storm had subsided, it had still taken them days to understand that they were finally free to move on with their lives. Davina had made contact with Anna when she had finally located her a few days after it was over, and the older witch had confirmed that the Other Side was nothing but a memory now. The transition had been hard, brutal and painful in a way she wasn't quite able to describe. It had apparently made everyone feel like they had been torn into pieces and put back together bit by bit. Anna and her son Anatol had found each other rather quickly when they had reached the Eternal Realm as they had both happened to choose the same sector, and she confirmed that what she had seen so far was indeed a place of peace and serenity. It was not that all hurtful thoughts and memories were erased, but pain and suffering were reduced to mere remembrances that no longer marred one's existence. Anna had sounded placid and calm in way Caroline had never heard her speak during her living days, and she was incredibly relieved that the witch had now found the peace she had long since craved. But she was almost as alleviated to hear that Anna had not lost her sharp tongue, so it seemed the Eternal Realm did not cloud your mind like some sort of otherwordly Valium. It just took the suffering away, and that sounded like a bearable way to spend one's eternity.

The day Elena, Rebekah and the Salvatores had returned to Mystic Falls, Caroline and Klaus had joined them as Caroline had wanted to see her Mom whom she hadn't been able to visit in a very long time. Some days later, she had told Klaus that she first wanted to travel to Ushuaia to see Jack, and then on to Poland. She had finally asked her mother about her provenance, and Liz had confirmed that Caroline's great-grandparents had indeed left a small village called Markushof – what was now Markusy – in East Prussia during the nineteen twenties to try their luck in America. After rummaging through some very old boxes in the basement, Liz had found a small pack of documents – birth certificates, a marriage confirmation and a few other papers, all of them in German. Caroline's heart had almost started beating again when she looked at the documents that told her where exactly it was that she came from. Her instincts – and Klaus – had been right, that day back in Poland! Her mother told her that her father's belongings, including all documents, had been given to his sister whom Caroline would need to call to find out more about the Scottish half of her ancestry.

Klaus had been relatively quiet throughout her conversations with her mother but one night, when they had just returned to the mansion, he had taken her hand.

_"There is more than enough time for all of this, my darling girl," _he had said_, "but ahead of everything, I want something else for you. Namely palm trees, beaches, shopping and – dare I say it? – umbrella cocktails. You need a little break, and we have not had a honeymoon in almost a year. Any objections?"_

Who in their right mind would have objected to that? So he had taken her to Maui, and their days had been filled with nothing but exploring, shopping, swimming, eating and drinking. And wonderful, delicious, neverending hours of lovemaking. For the first time ever since they had met, there were no worries, no looming enemies and no worlds to conquer, and it showed in both of them. They exuded happiness from their every pore, and even the employees of the Four Seasons who had definitely seen more than their share of happy honeymooners couldn't help but smile at them whenever they walked by.

She gazed at Klaus who was lounging in the chair next to her, looking more relaxed than she had ever seen him before. With a smile, she took her colourful cocktail and cast a dreamy look at the garden and the dark beach behind it. There were torches everywhere, illuminating the hotel grounds and the silhouettes of the palm trees. Caroline just _loved _the damn palm trees! Tomorrow they had planned to watch the sunrise from the top of the Haleakala, Maui's highest volcano, and Klaus had promised to take her to Molokini afterwards, the half-sunken crater he had shown her in the very first dream he had ever given her, back in Tromsø. Everything about the island and their stay was bright, full of colour and warm, and Caroline asked herself if there was any chance to just stop time right now and remain in this incredible state of bliss for the rest of eternity.

Without a warning, an unpleasant thought crossed her mind. She couldn't wait to see more, to travel the world and to discover something new every day, but Klaus… he had seen almost every corner of the planet at least once. Wouldn't he get bored? No more fighting, no plans to devise, just playing tourist day in, day out. What if one day he would grow to resent the decision he had made, the decision to leave New Orleans with its supernatural community, its problems, its small and large battles, to Kol? She had to find something to keep his mind occupied – she simply couldn't imagine that he would be content with this kind of life, not in the long run.

"Niklaus," she murmured, gripping her glass a little firmer, "can I ask you something?"

"The answer is yes," he smirked.

Raising an eyebrow, she scolded, "Can you at least wait until I ask the question?"

His face was the picture of astonishment when he replied. "Oh, you weren't going to ask me whether I believe a woman can own too many shoes?"

Caroline giggled and shook her head. "Come on, I didn't buy _that _many."

"Excuse me, my love, we have been here for all of nine days and you have already bought twenty-four pairs, not counting flip flops. And this is Maui, not Paris, Rome or London. Good grief, I will need to call Rebekah and Silv the minute we get near any serious shopping – I am most definitely not man enough for this!" He rolled his eyes and bit down a chuckle. Caroline knew how he loved to spoil her, and despite his constant moaning about her shopping frenzies, she never had the feeling that he truly minded.

"I don't recall any complaints when we went lingerie shopping, Mr. Mikaelson," she pointed out, pulling a salacious grin from him. He had been sitting outside the fitting room, and whenever she had tried something on, he had been almost inaudibly whispering what he was going to do to her when she wore that particular piece. It had turned her on like crazy, and she had caught herself standing in front of the mirror, eyes closed, running her hands over her body and conjuring the images he was describing. When they had left the shop, Caroline had silently held out her hand for the car keys and had driven them out of the small town of Lahaina, up a narrow, winding road towards the mountains until she had found a relatively remote and lonely spot. She had wasted no time or words, just flashing out of the car and hopping onto the hood. In less than one second, he had pushed her sundress over her hips and buried his face between her legs until she begged him to take her right there on the hood. He had turned her around, trapping her upper body on the car, and made her wild, ecstatic cries echo from the Western Maui Mountains.

Smiling at the exciting memory, she took a sip of her drink. "Look, Niklaus, I know you said that you were going to put down the sceptre for a while once everything was over, and believe me – I have never been as completely and utterly happy as I am now, with you, far from any dangers or problems. You make me fall asleep at night with nothing but happy thoughts about the next day I get to spend with you, and when I wake up in the morning, I need a second to remind myself that this is no dream and that our happiness is real, solid and hopefully everlasting."

"But?" he asked cautiously, although she could see how her words warmed him.

With a deep sigh, she bit her lip. "But even though I could just go on like this for years, I'm worried that it will not be enough for you in the long run. You're Niklaus Mikaelson, the most powerful being in the world, you're a fighter, a leader. How can you be truly satisfied with this?"

He was silent for a while before he rose and stepped to the edge of the lanai, leaning against a pillar, looking across the gardens and then up into the night sky. It was twinkling with stars, velvety and overwhelmingly beautiful. "The honest answer to your question is that I do not know, not long-term. What I do know, however, is that no battle, no intricate scheme, no rush of bloodlust has ever made me feel as fulfilled and whole as I am feeling right here, right now. You will remember that I told you I am not only doing this for you, I am also doing it for myself, and I have told you the truth. I need this time with you. There is nothing that could ever be even remotely as important to me as you are, my darling girl. I am yearning to show you the world, I am beyond curious to watch you develop your preferences and dislikes, discover more of your personality and find your own favourite spots on the planet. Although I do have the distinct feeling that this one will be quite on top of the list."

"But?" Caroline whispered, echoing his earlier question.

"But I cannot tell you whether I can entirely renounce everything that I have been until now. Caroline, I am not talking about tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. I am speaking of several years. These years will be yours and mine, wholeheartedly and more than voluntarily, as it is what I truly want and need. Maybe they span into decades or even centuries as I, too, require some time. Time to discover a life without the constant search for something – for a way to put down Mikael, a way to make Hybrids, a way to establish a kingdom…" He turned around and looked at her intently before he sighed and closed his eyes.

Her heart went out to him. He was a thousand years old, he had seen everything, and now here he was, nervous about what to do with his life and where to go from here. Not so long ago, she would have interpreted his words differently. She would have been afraid of not sufficing, of not being enough for him. But if these past few months had taught her anything, it was that nothing mattered to him the way she did. They had lost each other twice, and they had both learned that they were so completely interwoven with one another that their lives depended on the other's wellbeing. And she wanted this. This love, so absolute and consuming, was what she had always longed for. It was a part of who she was now, and whatever else she discovered about herself in the future, her love for Klaus would always be her essence, more than anything else.

And yet, she wanted their lives to be busy and colourful. For Caroline herself it was very easy. It was about seeing, sensing, hearing, learning. There was so much to uncover, so much to understand that she was positive she would be able to fill entire centuries with her quest for knowledge and new impressions. Klaus knew what he liked and disliked, there was very little he had not seen, and therefore the lack of purpose, however misled this purpose might have been, would be leaving a gaping hole inside him. And that was something she could never allow, especially when she was feeling so whole, so totally and utterly complete herself.

_Searches. Quests. He has always been searching for something. Remember the look in his eyes when he spoke about travelling to Pakistan and looking for cues on the warlock who created the Other Side. And when he forged the Original Grimoire. He loves that. He loves to use his intellect, to play mind games, to solve riddles. _

Taking another sip of her cocktail, she looked at his silhouette for a long time. He was leaning against the terrace wall, staring into the night, a very remote resplendence of the garden torches on his beautiful face. Caroline's heart swelled, and the butterflies swirled happily inside her at the knowledge that this man, this incredibly strong, caring and still damaged man would forever be hers, and that he would always love her with every fiber of his being. She remembered how last night, he had had another nightmare of Henrik. They had become less frequent but they hadn't stopped, and his face had been as devastated as ever when he had turned to her and let her pull him into her arms, her hands soothingly stroking his back, protecting him from the darkness that still haunted him and probably always would.

_There is something he needs. Two things, to be exact. I'll need to call Davina tomorrow about one of those things. The other will be a little easier._

"Tell me, Niklaus," she said softly, "apart from the guy who built the Other Side, what would you say are the greatest mysteries left in the world? The ones you really haven't found out about yet?"

Klaus turned towards her again and considered for a moment. "There are still quite a few. All right, let me see. The Bermuda Triangle, although I have a feeling that it has been cursed at some point. No proof, however. The Rongorongo inscriptions on Easter Island. The existence or non-existence of Atlantis during some point in time. Jack the Ripper, for I really have no clue whatsoever as to who has killed those prostitutes. I was not in England during the time. My first guess after meeting Stefan was that it might have been him during his worst ripper days, but he has always steadfastly negated his involvement. Okay, what else? There is Stonehenge. The Amber Room that disappeared during the last days of World War II, and it does admittedly annoy me not to know what happened to the bloody thing."

"What about the Loch Ness monster?" Caroline asked with a grin.

"Nope. Does not exist. I searched the entire lake twice. It was not there. Sorry to disappoint you," he chuckled.

She would never have admitted to it, but she _was_ a little disappointed. "What else? JFK?"

Now his grin broadened. "My apologies, my sweet girl, for having to disappoint you again, but that one is solved as well. Still, I will let you read through everything, and you will try to find the solution to that puzzle yourself. All the necessary evidence can be found on the internet. But there are a few more mysteries floating around. The Tunguska explosion back in 1908. The whereabouts of Alexander the Great's tomb. That elusive little spark that brought life to Earth. Anti-matter. Dark matter. The provability of Einstein's theories, although this is a tough one, for let us face it, the man was way more intelligent than I am," he snickered, making Caroline roll her eyes. "Almost everything that happens in the universe intrigues me, but I will have to admit defeat there – I am rather certain that my intellect does not suffice to truly shed light on any of that."

"Why not? You have lived for a millennium, your mind knows how to think outside of the box, what with all the supernatural stuff you have seen so far…"

With a tender smile, he shook his head. "I appreciate your confidence in my mental capacities, my beautiful love, but in order to truly capture the workings of the universe, it takes a mind that is on a completely different level than mine, and I am not speaking about IQ. It is a combination of that and a very particular broadness of mind, you could call it fantasy. You need to be very, very open, your brain needs to be able to wrap itself around concepts that are normally too big for any mind to capture. Einstein had it, Galileo Galilei had it, Da Vinci had it, Newton had it, Stephen Hawking has it. I most definitely do not. I generally understand their writings, although I am admittedly struggling with some of Hawking's theories on quantum mechanics, but never in a hundred thousand years could I achieve this level of thinking." He looked up to the stars and gestured at the dark sky. "Just ponder the very basic questions we have about the universe, Caroline. Has it always existed? If yes, how is that possible? If not, what has been there before? And before that? And will it be there forever? It has been proven that the universe is expanding, so is there infinite space for it to continue to do so? Does it end? If so, what is behind it? Or beneath, above? Inside? How many more dimensions are there we have no idea about? How incredible must the distances be if the light of a dying star needs millions of years to reach us after the actual event has happened?"

Caroline's head was spinning when she started to think about his first question on whether the universe had always existed. And he was right. Her mind was simply not able to capture the idea of true infinity, be it in space or time. Whenever they had spoken about being together until all time ended, she had always automatically assumed that time _would_ end at some point. Or rather, Earth would. Shaking her head, she held out her hand and he took it swiftly, lifting her off the lounge chair and sitting down on it himself, pulling her onto his lap and into his arms. _I'll never, ever get tired of the way I feel when he holds me. Infinity be damned._

"Okay, let's just drop the universe discussion for now. I need more cocktails for that," she muttered, making him chuckle. "What I actually wanted to say is that I need you to be happy and fulfilled, Niklaus, and…"

"Apart from feeling exceedingly _fulfilled_ after our little intermezzo earlier tonight, I am far more than merely _happy_, Caroline Mikaelson, and I believe you know that," he interrupted, pressing a soft kiss to her Signum.

Closing her eyes at the tender touch of his lips, she tried to focus again. "I know that you're happy to be with me. But don't you need a little more than that? You need to busy your mind, you need to have something to do. I understand that someday, you might go back to conquering the world, or parts of it, and even though I don't particularly like the idea, it's part of who you are and I will live with it. Until then, however, it can't be enough for you to just play the tour guide. So why don't we start with the mystery of who created the Other Side, then go on to finding out what is really going on in the Bermuda Triangle and so on. In between, you will probably have to rein in your younger brother from time to time. You will still show me the world, Mr. Mikaelson, as that was part of the deal. But I want you to be busy. Call it a hobby of sorts. You love all the riddle stuff, so how about we divide our time between seeing the world, supervising Kol and finding out if the Yeti really exists?"

Klaus was very quiet when she had finished, and she was getting a little nervous at his long silence. Finally, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against her shoulder. "I really, truly appreciate your idea, my Caroline. And once more, I am utterly speechless at how incredibly lucky I am that you love me the way you do. But do not think for a split second that I could ever be bored when I am with you. I have never seen the world the way you see it, and I marvel at everything new you discover as it makes me see what I thought I already knew in an entirely new light and in different colours. We will be travelling the world together, and I swear to you, my love, that this is exactly what I want right now. Mehrgarh has me intrigued, admittedly, and I look forward to finding out more on who created the Other Side. But you do not have to find an occupation for me. Do you remember what you said to me at the very beginning of our relationship? You told me not to try so hard, and that it would all come naturally. It did, did it not?"

She nodded, remembering the conversation. He had been so desperate to do the right thing by her, and she had never doubted that he would, even when he didn't try. _Especially_ when he didn't try. Was it the same with her now?

"The one thing that there will never be a compromise on is our being together. I need you, Caroline, I need you desperately. All other matters are secondary. You are so very young, and my first and utmost priority is to give you all the time you want and require to find out what kind of life it is you want to lead. The beauty of being immortal is that you will not have to limit it to one choice. There are endless lifetimes ahead of you, my love, and I will always be at your side. Should we, at some point, want different things, we will compromise. Although I have difficulties imagining that this day could ever arrive."

"Niklaus," she whispered, "I know it is silly, especially after everything we have gone through, but will you promise me again that we will always, always be together?"

He slid off the chair, placing her on it, and knelt in front of her. Taking her hand, he placed it on his heart while covering it with his own. "You are my home, Caroline, as I am yours. Everything that I am, everything that I own belongs to you. I cannot live without you, I cannot even _exist_ without you. And I swear to you that you and I will never be apart again. You will wake up every morning to find yourself in my arms, and you will fall asleep in my embrace every night."

Leaning forward, he kissed her lips with all the tenderness and the heartbreaking love he felt for her before he sat back to look her in the eyes. "With all that I have and all that I am, from this day forward, I shall be yours."

_Our wedding vows. _

"With all that I have and all that I am, from this day forward, I shall be yours," she whispered, pulling him into her arms. "I know you're probably tired of hearing this, but I love you, Niklaus. So much. So incredibly much."

His lips traced her jaw line and were slowly making their way towards her earlobe. "What makes you possibly think I could ever tire of hearing you say that to me?" His tongue gently traced her ear, making her give a low moan. "Tell me again."

"I love you." His lips, tongue and teeth were now setting her neck on fire.

"Again."

"I love you." She felt his hand softly cupping her breast.

"Again."

"I love you!" she exclaimed when his razor-sharp fangs pierced her skin without a warning and his tongue licked and sucked her blood, making him groan with pleasure. He hadn't been drinking her blood ever since Esther had put the curse on her, back in Natchez, and it was clear from the way he could hardly control himself that he had sorely missed it.

She pulled him even closer, pressing his mouth against her neck, and moaned loudly at the delirious sensation of her man feeding from her so greedily. He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and without ever letting go of her neck, he flashed them through the gardens at full Original speed until they had reached the dark beach. Fully clothed, he walked into the warm water until they were submerged up to their chests. He nudged her head towards his neck, and Caroline could only close her eyes at the overwhelming feeling of the two of them drinking each other's blood, the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean surrounding them. When they were finally sated, their lips remained on one another's neck, gently kissing the healing wounds, and they kept their arms tightly wrapped around each other, eyes closed, savouring _paradise._

For a moment, Caroline's thoughts drifted back to how everything had begun between them, and the long way they had come ever since Klaus had first set foot in Mystic Falls. She wouldn't want to miss a single second of their story, but she was beyond happy to be where she was right now.

Deeply in love, inseparable and completely at home in each other. Oh God, how she was grateful! So infinitely grateful!

_This moment is worth every single second of suffering I've ever gone through. _

_You and me, Niklaus. _

_Forever._


	51. Epilogue

**This is it, guys... the very last one... sigh. :( **

**Thank you to the Anons, Klaroline (hope you're feeling better!), Anahita20, Marie, Justine and Tricia for another wonderful round of guest reviews! :)**

**There's an Author's Note coming up afterwards. Gah, I'm saaaaaad! :(**

**So I think we all deserve one last round of fluff, don't we? :)**

**YOU GUYS ROCK, ALL OF YOU!**

**XX  
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* * *

EPILOGUE

NEW ORLEANS

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Klaus and Elijah were in the study, gazing at the fire and sharing a drink in companionable silence. Except for Kol and Davina, they would all be leaving for Pakistan the next day, and everyone else had gone off to Remy's for a farewell round. The two oldest Mikaelson brothers had stayed behind, wanting to enjoy some quiet time before having to spend weeks in the company of their boisterous group of family and friends, especially the newly engaged Damon and Elena.

With an exasperated sigh, Klaus remembered the morning he and Caroline had returned to New Orleans a few weeks ago. They had not quite closed the doors behind them when Caroline's phone had rung, a squealing Elena on the other end of the line to break the news. Caroline had put her on speaker to discuss the upcoming nuptials with Silv and Davina. Elijah, Kol and he had escaped to the kitchen, desperately trying to block out all the giggling and the endless descriptions of how the older Salvatore had apparently lit the entire house with candles, covered the floors with rose petals and played a song that seemed to make every woman on the planet melt, judging by the sheer number of 'Oh my God!' shrieks from the study. For a split second, Klaus had felt a sting inside him. He should have done something like that for his Caroline. Well, maybe he still would. Something a little more classy, though.

_"I am indeed grateful that they are sparing us the details of the night that followed this memorable proposal,"_ Elijah had muttered, making his brothers roll their eyes in agreement. As the women's conversation had dragged on, especially when Rebekah had joined Elena on the other end of the line to bring the discussion on flower arrangements, bridesmaids' dress colours and invitation cards to a whole new level, they had finally fled the house and sought refuge at Remy's. Smiling inwardly, Klaus remembered how Caroline had gushed over every detail of the conversation when he had returned that night, lengthily explaining the advantages of handmade paper for the invites and the different sets of fonts that worked best with it – until he had finally reverted to desperate measures. He had wordlessly shed his clothes. With a grin, he thought of how there had been no more mention of handmade paper for the remainder of the night.

The preceding weeks and months had been pure heaven for Klaus and with each passing day, he had grown to love the world they lived in a little more. Caroline's excitement was so contagious that for the first time in very many years, he really felt his adventurous spirit return. As Elijah had once correctly pointed out, Klaus had never lost his zest for living, but his true love of life had been oppressed by his darker side for centuries. Caroline had unearthed it again, and he couldn't have been happier, not only about being with her, which made him ecstatic every single day – even when she talked about wedding invitations for hours on end – but also about rediscovering what he had always loved about the world they lived in. They were small things, like the taste of a langouste he had caught with his bare hands only minutes earlier, prepared on a charcoal grill with nothing but a little salt and pepper. Sitting on a rock and watching the waves while sharing a chilled bottle of white wine. Becoming completely engrossed in a book and losing all sense of time over it. Sketching Caroline's face in a hundred different ways while she was sound asleep, a light smile on her lovely face. Waking up to the sound of the ocean. Smelling nothing but pure, crisp air and a hint of pinecones.

Only one single blemish tainted his otherwise perfect bliss – the nightmares that still haunted him regularly. He was attempting to come to terms with the fact that they would probably never stop. Well, if they were the price he had to pay for his happiness, he would gladly accept it.

After spending two weeks on Maui, Klaus and Caroline had gone on to Ushuaia as Caroline had wanted to visit Jack. The old man had been overjoyed when they were knocking on his door unannounced, and they had spent another week down in Patagonia. With a lopsided smile, Klaus remembered how he had finally had to admit that Jack _did_ know some hidden gems in the area that even he had not been aware existed.

They had left for Poland next, and his heart clenched a little when he remembered the day they had found the old farm in Markushof, the little village now called Markusy. According to the address given on some of the old documents, this was the land had belonged to Caroline's great-grandparents before they had left for America. The original farm house was no longer there, but just like the first time they had come to Poland, Caroline had _sensed_ something. She had cried for a long time that day, and Klaus knew exactly how she had felt – unable to say whether they were happy tears, torn between some strange kind of homesickness and the desire to run away from the place… Strangely enough, he had faintly felt it too, even though it wasn't the village of his own ancestors. It had been hard for him to watch her for he hated to see her crying, but once she had recovered, she had wanted to see everything. An old woman in the nearby village had directed them to an almost forgotten little cemetery which she had explained was an ancient German burial site. Caroline had been stunned speechless at finding a weathered tombstone for Fritz and Wanda Jura who, according to his birth certificate, had been her great-grandfather's parents. She had been very silent for the remainder of the day, just absorbing everything she saw and breathing in the crisp air, closing her eyes often and never letting go of his hand. He had understood and respected her need for silence, and he had been very surprised when she had suddenly asked him to see Bogatovo, the village of his own ancestors. Nowadays, it was a nondescript little settlement near Kaliningrad, but Klaus took his time to describe to Caroline how it had looked when he had first seen it, and the things that had changed over the course of the centuries. Although it had actually not changed at all over many, many years.

_"I'm feeling the same thing here,"_ she had whispered, looking up at him with big eyes, _"just what I felt in Markusy. Why do you think that is?"_ He had just silently pointed at their Signum, unable to speak. Their bond… was it still deepening? So much so that they felt one another's roots as intensely as they felt their own?

A thought had taken hold inside him after that day, a question he had not yet shared with his Caroline, and he was not certain he ever would. Would their bond become so strong at some point that once one of them died, so would the other? Apart from the two surviving Pale Blood bearers, was Caroline becoming the one other method to kill him? The strange thing was that he did not mind, not even a little bit. Should she ever die, he would follow her without hesitation, which was why he had decided to keep the remaining Pale Blood bearers alive. He needed a means to kill himself should need arise, and he was well aware that this was an extremely egoistic decision. The Pale Blood could not only end his life but that of his siblings as well. Still, the mere thought of having to live an eternity without Caroline was so beyond anything he could bear that he was not able to help himself. But it would remain his secret. A secret he would share with Elijah, and Elijah only, as he knew his older brother would be the only one to understand his need for an emergency exit. And he would keep a very close eye on the Pale Blood, protecting his family just as fiercely as he always had.

The copies he had crafted of the Original Grimoire had already been destroyed, Bonnie had been compelled, uttering a string of profanities and swearing revenge when she was finally released. Unbeknownst to anyone, Klaus had had her every step shadowed by a reliable ally ever since she had left New Orleans, and he had recently been informed that she had settled near a small village somewhere in Nebraska, for reasons that were yet to be investigated. He would take no risks whatsoever where Caroline's safety was concerned, therefore he would always keep an eye on the Bennett witch's every move.

He had also had a hard time deciding on the primeval manuscript's fate. In the end, he and Elijah had made up their minds. After lengthy discussions, they had agreed to keep it, removing one ingredient from each potion again and confining it to memory. With everything that could come to pass in the world of the supernatural, the Original Grimoire might prove to be of use in the future. One could never be too careful. This time, though, the document would not be hidden in the Vatican again; Klaus had decided that once they were done in Pakistan, he, Elijah, Silv and Caroline would make a side trip to Bouvet Island. This small, uninhabited piece of volcanic rock and ice halfway between South America, South Africa and Antarctica was the remotest spot on Earth, and where better to hide the Original Grimoire than on an island that was probably one of the planet's most difficult places to reach?

Hearing the front door, he emerged from his musings and looked up at Elijah who was absently running a finger over his Signum. Silv and his older brother had exchanged the eternal mark very shortly after the storm had subsided, and if his sister-in-law had been radiantly happy ever since her reunion with Elijah back in France, she now looked almost as ecstatic as Klaus felt every day. And so did his older sibling, only that he was not as openly exuberant as his wife. But Klaus knew his brother better than anyone else, and he could clearly see how deeply happy Elijah was. They both were, and more than once, they had just silently looked at each other and shaken their heads in nameless wonder at how radically their lives had changed for the better.

Klaus raised a brow when he discerned but two pairs of feet approaching the study. Just Caroline and Davina? No Kol? With a grin, he thought about his brother and the young witch, and how they had practically become inseparable ever since Davina had moved into the house. Not too long after that, they had done the deed and from that moment on, Kol had had a hard time leaving her side for more than five minutes at a time. Klaus remembered the morning after it had happened, when the two of them had descended the stairs and almost tumbled over their own feet because they had been completely unable to take their eyes off each other. He knew exactly how his brother had felt, and images of the dream Caroline had given him had flashed through his head all day long. What an unspeakably precious gift that had been!

An instant later, the two women entered the study and his heart swelled at the sight of his beautiful girl, the way it always did. Her face lit up when she saw him, and for the millionth time, Klaus asked himself how he had ever come to deserve this incandescent happiness.

"Niklaus," she said quietly after he had risen to pull her into his arms and kiss her thoroughly, "There is someone who would like to talk to you."

He cocked his head and looked at her quizzically. Was there someone who wanted to ask a favour of him? This was nothing new, but he was mildly surprised that Caroline acted as an intermediary. "Who is it, then?"

She ran her knuckles across his cheek and said nothing, just nodding towards Davina who was busying herself setting up a circle of candles. Caroline turned her gaze to Elijah. "Brother, please stay as well, will you?"

"Of course," Elijah nodded, looking at Klaus and lifting a brow of his own. He rose from his chair to join his brother. Caroline took a few steps back, and everyone watched Davina who had raised her hands and began to mumble. They could all feel the energy emanating from her, and for a fleeting moment, Klaus asked himself whether even Esther had had this much power in her lifetime. He had a fleeting suspicion that the destruction of the Other Side had somehow added to Davina's strength which had further confirmed his resolve to find out more about the creator of the annihilated plane. Well, any sort of power was in very safe hands with the young witch, who, to everyone's astonishment, seemed to even manage to turn Kol into an adult. Incredible.

All of a sudden, the witch's eyes glazed over and her voice changed. She had apparently established contact with someone in the Eternal Realm, making Klaus wonder who would possibly want to speak to him.

And then the floor seemed to drop from underneath his feet.

"Nik?"

He stared at Davina wide-eyed, and a thunderstorm of emotions raced through him. There had only ever been three people to call him that. Bekah, Kol and…

"Henrik?" he whispered, not trusting his own voice. He blindly reached out for Caroline who was right at his side, taking his hand and squeezing it tenderly. "Little brother, is that you?"

"None other," Henrik replied cheerfully through Davina, "and I am here with Ralph, but it would seem that only one of us can speak to you at a time. Is anyone else with you?"

"I am here, too," Elijah choked out, his emotions apparently getting the better of him for once. _That's a first!_

"Lijah! Brothers, you cannot believe how happy I am to speak with you! I have missed you all so much! But first of all, I wanted to tell you that I am sorry, Nik!"

For the first time ever since he had become a vampire, Klaus felt the urgent need to sit down. His voice was a mere rasp when he spoke again. "What are you talking about, young'un?"

"That night… _there…_ I could not fathom what was happening and why you were there. Why you did not move. I hated you for a moment, Nik, I truly did, because I was incapable of understanding why you would not help me." Klaus once again felt all of his century-long suffering crashing down on him, and there was nothing he wanted more than to pull his little brother into his arms and tell him how endlessly sorry he was. "Then you closed your eyes, and I could see you were shutting everything out. For a split second, I thought you had just left me to suffer alone and yes, I hated you even more in that moment, big brother. But then… they stopped for a little while, and I managed to take a closer look at you to finally realize that you _could _not move. And you were crying, Nik. You were crying so hard that the tears all but soaked your shirt. That was when I ultimately understood that something must have been truly wrong with you. Just when they started to… well, when they _started _again, I heard one of them mutter something about how you were going through everything they did to me. I did not know how that was possible, but I _believed _them. Nik, I should not have felt the way I did for a split second, and I should never have given you the hate-filled look I gave you right before you closed your eyes. When we were still alive, you always said you could read my face like a book, and in that one single moment, before I gathered that you could not move, I wanted you to _see _that I hated you. Gods, Nik, I am so, so sorry! I know you would have torn them apart had you been able to, and I should never, ever have doubted you, not even for that one second."

There was a long moment of silence, and Klaus felt Elijah's hand on his shoulder. He had to fight the impulse to break down and cry once more over the incredible ordeal his little Henrik had had to go through.

"Do not say that, young'un. I should have made myself move. It was my duty to protect you, and I failed. My Gods, Henrik," he whispered desperately, "I cannot even begin to tell you just how sorry I am. It was my vanity, my hubris that made your suffering possible in the first place. Had I not believed myself invincible and lowered my guard, none of this would have happened."

"No, Nik, that is not true. I have had very many centuries to ponder this, and I have also just lengthily discussed it with Ralph who told me so many things I was not aware of. Mikael wanted to get to you, and he knew that I was the key to do so. You always protected me more fiercely than any of the others, and he knew that if he wanted to truly hurt you, he would need to hurt _me._ It would have happened eventually. As I said, I have had a very long time to think about it, and I have understood something you need to understand as well." He paused for a moment, and Klaus tried to remember that his baby brother was not really a baby. Not anymore. He was a thousand years old, and even if he had not spent that millennium on Earth, his mind had still developed. "I have suffered, Nik, and I do not have to tell you about it, for you suffered through the same ordeal with me. But my pain was over the second I died and it has never returned. Yours remains to this day. You have suffered for centuries. I know that night still haunts your dreams, Nik, and I cannot take those nightmares from you, nor can I tell you whether they will ever stop. But I can tell you that I am happy here, I am not alone, I am at peace, and you need not to worry about me for a single moment. And what is even more important… I am overjoyed to learn that we were not _half_ brothers. Remember that I love you, big brother. I always have and I always will."

Klaus ignored the tears that were flooding his face. "As I love you, young'un. I have for a thousand years." Then his voice failed him, and he felt Caroline move into his arms, wrapping herself around him and gently caressing his back. He simply adored her for it.

There were so many things he wanted to tell Henrik, so many stories he would have loved to share with his baby brother, but he knew he had to be reasonable. Contact with the Eternal Realm could not hold up forever, even when established by someone as powerful as Davina, and maybe it was better that way. Maybe at some point, the dead had to be left in peace. Something told him he would spend most of the conversation crying, anyway. He would never have hoped to speak with Henrik again, and he needed to wrap his head around the fact that his brother did not blame him for what had happened. Klaus knew that part of him would always blame himself and that he would never be able to completely leave the events behind him. But just as he had begun to slowly heal when he had learned that Elijah had never even thought of putting any blame on him, he would now be able to truly make his peace with himself. Eventually.

"Lijah?" Henrik's voice suddenly sounded.

"Yes, young'un?"

"Have you finally beaten Nik in a sword fight?"

Klaus and Elijah looked at each other, smiling. "The correct question would be, has Niklaus ever beaten me again?"

"You are delusional, big brother," Klaus chuckled, and they both closed their eyes for a second at hearing Henrik's bubbly laughter. Even with Davina's voice, it still sounded like him.

"Brothers, will you promise me something?" the youngest Mikaelson asked, his voice a little more serious now.

"Anything," Klaus murmured, seeing Elijah nod vigorously.

"Never give up on our family, no matter what happens. And tell Bekah and Kol that I love them, too."

"We promise," Elijah said. "Family above all."

"Good. For I will come to haunt you should you ever forget."

Klaus cleared his throat. He needed to be alone, for he felt the breakdown coming after all. "We will meet again, young'un. One day."

They could almost hear the smile in Henrik's voice.

"I know."

* * *

Klaus was standing at the panoramic windows that led out to the Vieux Carré, his back to the room, when she entered. Right after his conversation with Henrik, he had squeezed her hand and left the study. When she had been about to follow him, Elijah, who looked more emotional than she had ever seen him before, had just shaken his head.

"Give him a moment, sister. He needs some time to let this settle inside his head. And his heart."

So she had stayed downstairs for a couple of hours, talking to the others who had arrived shortly after, but her thoughts had been only on Klaus. It had been his nightmares that had given her the idea, and unlike earlier times, she had known that it was the right thing to do. She had called Davina from Maui, asking her to establish contact with Ralph who, just after arriving in the Eternal Realm, had set out to find Henrik. It had taken him a long while despite the fact that they were related by blood which had made it easier. When Davina had spoken to Ralph again, he had told her that Henrik was more than eager to talk to Klaus, having spent centuries wanting to let his older brother know that he was sorry for having doubted him.

When she closed the door behind her, he slowly turned to face her. Caroline could see streaks of dried tears on his cheeks, and she resisted the impulse to rush over to him and pull him into her arms.

"You always know just what to do to make me heal a little more, do you not, my angel?" he whispered almost inaudibly. "What have I ever done to deserve your love? How can I of all people be worthy of everything you are giving me?"

Now she did cross the room and stood before him, placing a hand on his heart. "Niklaus, you have done many evil things. But as we have learned, it is always about a person's true nature and what they make of it over the course of their existence. In your heart, you're not an evil man, and your choices in the future will be different from those you made over the years. You're a man who loves so wholeheartedly, who would gladly give his life for the ones he truly loves. Why do you think that despite everything that happened, your siblings are still with you after a thousand years, even after you've put them in boxes and daggered them countless times? And whatever else happened between the lot of you? It's because in their hearts, they _know_ who you really are. They know you're worth it. They love you, Niklaus, and so do I. Endlessly so. You have been concentrating on your dark side for so long that you have completely forgotten how much you are capable of giving."

"But…"

"No," she interrupted, "no buts. I understand that it is hard for you to accept that the Big Bad Hybrid is not the essence of your personality. It's a large part of it, it will always be, and quite frankly, the guy can be pretty damn hot." She smiled when he covered her hand with his. "But the core of your personality, Niklaus, is that fiercely protective brother and husband. The strong, caring man who puts his family above everything else. And that is why you deserve every ounce of my love and that of your siblings."

His eyes closed and Caroline took another step, leaning her head against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. His arms came encircled her, and they stood in silence, holding each other.

"Do you remember the day I moved in with you, back in Mystic Falls?" she whispered after a while, feeling him nod. "That day, I asked you to paint a portrait of Henrik, and you said you weren't ready to face him every day. Maybe when we return from Pakistan and Bouvet Island, you will think about it again?"

With a deep sigh, he kissed her hair and tightened his hold on her. "Yes, my darling girl, I believe I will." Then he gently pulled out of their embrace and took a step back to look at her. "But we will not return to New Orleans for a while once we are done in Mehrgarh."

Caroline cocked her head and gave him a quizzical glance. "We won't?"

"I have watched you very closely over the past months, my love, and I have observed a few little things. One of them is that you do breathe differently when we are close to the sea. When I found you in Ushuaia, you told me you had grown to love the ocean, and that is exactly what I have seen every single time you are near it. Your face lights up, your eyes shine and your whole posture changes."

Klaus pulled a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. Curiously, Caroline opened it to find a key on a grey satin band. He sounded a little nervous when he explained. "I hope you do not mind that I made the decision on my own, but I wanted to surprise you. If it is not to your liking, please tell me so, and we will make other arrangements. This… is the key to our new home. It is located in Kahala, one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods of Honolulu. The University of Hawaii is in close proximity, and you will be able to continue your art history studies, or switch to oceanography or any other subject of your choosing. It is not exactly a solitary place, but I imagined you might prefer some more lively surroundings. The house is located directly on the beach, and…"

He didn't get any further when Caroline put a finger on his lips. "You don't have to sell this to me, Niklaus." She kissed him fiercely, almost jumping into his arms and unable to suppress a delighted giggle. "Oh my God, I just love the idea! And I'm sure I'll love everything about the house – our first real place, I mean… our own place, not the family's! Okay, well, we'll probably have to get used to the thought that they'll all come to visit constantly, but… our own home! Thank you, my love!" She kissed him again and once she released him, she stared at the key for a long time. "Wow. We're really going to live in Hawaii. But…"

Now it was he who interrupted her, and she could almost hear the relief in his voice. _How could he even think I wouldn't like this?_ "Don't you dare ask me what I am going to do with my time. First of all, I have neglected my painting for a ridiculously long while, and I am yearning to get back to it. Second, Caligula will come along, and the battles I will have to fight to get him to set just one hoof in the water will be very entertaining indeed. Third, I am very much afraid that you are right and we will not be without our extended family for overly long. And lastly, the Hawaiian Islands _do _have a supernatural community just waiting to be terrorized." He winked at her and chuckled, although Caroline had the distinct feeling that he was only partly joking.

Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her over to their bed, sitting down and making her straddle him. "I cannot wait to make love to you in the ocean again, my Caroline. And in the sand at night. On the hood of a bloody car. Against a palm tree."

"How about in this bed?" Caroline suggested, giving a happy laugh when he pulled her shirt over her head.

For a long time, there were no sounds but their sighs and subdued moans as they kissed passionately, reveling in the sweetness of knowing that they would finally be able to start a life together, far from dangers and enemies. At least for a while. Her breathing becoming increasingly labored, Caroline mobilized all her willpower to pull back from him for another moment.

"Niklaus?"

"Yes, my sweet little one?"

"If you are not too busy once we live in Hawaii, can you do some research on something?"

He looked at her, intrigued. "And what would that be?"

She swallowed. The Signum had been what had made her wonder whether there was a chance. It had overridden the fact that no one should be able to give Klaus dreams, it had actually brought down an entire _world_ – so why would it not be possible? "Do you remember the dream I gave you?"

Tenderly tucking a strand of curls behind her ear, he brushed his lips over her temple. "How could I ever forget that particular dream for even one minute?" he asked with a loving smile.

"So you also remember how I said that I gave you the one thing I can't really give you?"

Klaus nodded, still not sure where she was going with this. Had her heart still been beating, it would have become arrhythmic by now. She had no idea whether he was going to laugh at her, be mad or simply shrug and dismiss her as a dreamer.

Clearing her throat, she looked at him cautiously. "There is something I would love to give you even more than that, and I would like to find out whether there is a loophole to one very specific supernatural rule that keeps me from giving you that particular gift."

"And what rule is that?" he inquired softly.

"Vampires can't procreate."

His voice had an audible crack to it when he recovered from his shock. Whatever he had been expecting, _this _had definitely not been it. "Caroline, this is not Twilight. This is the real world."

"I want to give you a family," she whispered. "The one thing you have always dreamed of, Niklaus."

He closed his eyes. "Will you ever, _ever,_ realize that you are all I need, Caroline Mikaelson? You _are_ my family, together with my siblings. I have what I always dreamed of – I love, I am being loved, I am at peace with my brothers and sister, and there is no one I have to fight or hide from. I have dreamed of a life, Caroline, and you have given me that life. I am deeply sorry that the possibility to bear children has been taken from you when you were turned. But… even if that was not the case, I do not think I am what you could call father material." _I beg to disagree, Niklaus. _ "And most importantly, I do not want you to ever believe that I feel incomplete. I never could. Not with you by my side," he said firmly.

A tear escaped her, and he was quick to kiss it from her face. Caroline rested her cheek against his. "Neither do I. And yet, something inside me desperately wants to give you more than just me."

Klaus pulled her into his arms and lowered her onto the mattress. His lips were all over her face, and he kissed her the way he always did when his love for her threatened to overflow his system.

"There is nothing, my Caroline, _nothing_ you can give me that could make me any happier than I am right now, right here, with you in my arms. Look me in the eyes and tell me you doubt me."

His beautiful, dark blue eyes were full of love, promise and honesty. No, there was no doubt. Not a single one. He was deliriously happy, as was she, and it oozed from their every pore. Caroline believed him unconditionally. It was not that she felt she was missing anything, either. It was just her overwhelming desire to give everything she could. To him. For him. For _them._

_Maybe I can find a way. _

_Someday._

** *** THE END *** **


	52. Author's Note II

**Dearies,**

**I know you're probably tired of reading this, but I would ****once more ****like to thank all of you. Everyone who has been constantly reading, reviewing and letting me know their thoughts via PM – I am incredibly grateful, and I wanted you all to know that I've had such an amazing time writing and publishing this story! You were all so gracious in sharing your comments, ideas and suggestions, and I am truly humbled at how many of you gave your time and support to Sanctuaries (and Dungeons before that), encouraging me every step of the way.**

**Another very, very special thank you to the wonderful Shadowscraving for creating the beautiful cover – you're such an artist! XXX  
**

**To the lovely guest reviewers – I am so sorry that there wasn't a way to thank you all via PM as I always did with the registered users, but please know that your reviews were just as precious to me! :)  
**

**Right now, I have no plans to write another sequel, but how does the saying go? _Never say never._ I've deliberately chosen a relatively open end, and who knows – maybe my withdrawal symptoms will torture me badly enough to eventually return to full-fledged Klaus/Caroline mode. However, I am indeed considering one or two bonus chapters to Sanctuaries, but as I will be relatively busy over the coming weeks, they might take a while to write. Anyway, I will not hit the 'complete' button just yet… ;)**

**I will really, really miss you guys, and from the bottom of my heart – THANK YOU for your amazing support! :)  
**

**Much love**

**Sybille**

**XXXXX**


	53. Bonus Chapter I: Findings

**Hello dearies, I've been missing you all! ;)**

**A special thanks to guest reviewer Nicqui . qt! XX  
**

**Here comes the first bonus chapter... have a lovely weekend, and I truly hope you'll enjoy it (and yes, there will be another bonus chapter... promise)!**

**Happy weekend, everyone!**

**XXX**

* * *

BONUS CHAPTER I

FINDINGS

_Rough. Dark. Desolate. Cold. Stormy. Icy._

A wild array of adjectives swirled through Caroline's head at her first sight of Bouvet Island. The diminutive landmass almost entirely covered by a thick cap of ice protruded from an unforgiving, merciless, dark grey and eternally turbulent ocean. On their sea voyage from Cape Town, which had taken them little over four days, Klaus had explained to her that Tristan da Cunha, an island located about one thousand four hundred miles to the Northwest, was the remotest inhabitated piece of land in the world. However, Bouvet Island, or Bouvetøya, as the Norwegians to whose territory it belonged had once named it, was uninhabited and even further removed from all major landmasses. Antarctica was the closest at one thousand two hundred miles, followed by Tristan da Cunha and finally Cape Town at one thousand six hundred miles. The island was in the literal middle of nowhere, and Caroline found it incredibly fascinating. Apparently there was one single spot on a total of eighteen miles of coastline where it was possible to land on certain days, and only when the winds were favourable. The Norwegians had set up a weather station, but there was absolutely nothing to be found on the island other than rocks, ice and penguins. Despite the remoteness and the air of loneliness that surrounded Bouvet Island, Caroline liked it somehow. There was something mysterious about this barren piece of land, covered in low-hanging clouds and appearing so abruptly in the midst of the wild, raging ocean, outside of any shipping lanes.

She stood at the prow railing, holding on fast, her eyes on the steep cliffs ahead. Klaus was steering the oceangoing vessel he had chartered in Cape Town. It was actually a commercial ice breaker that had been transformed into a luxury yacht called 'Valhalla', and Caroline had a sneaking suspicion that the name had been one of Klaus' reasons for choosing it in the first place, what with his known weakness for Norse mythology. Despite the elegance and coziness of its interior, the ship was as tough as it had been in its ice breaker days, with a length of 138 feet, a reinforced hull and a range of over six thousand nautical miles. The minute they had set to sea and she had seen the wide, exhilarated grin on Klaus' face as he brought Valhalla up to her full speed of thirty-eight knots, she had known that he was going to buy the vessel once they returned from their trip. Not the least of reasons being the book she had stumbled upon in a small shop near Cape Town's port. It was called 'Atlas of Remote Islands', written by one Judith Schalansky, a beautifully crafted description – including maps – of fifty _very _off the beaten track islands scattered around the planet. She had initially only purchased it because she was curious whether there was one single white spot left on Klaus' map of the world. It turned out that of those fifty islands, there were at least twelve he had not yet visited, and it vexed him enormously. Something told her that Valhalla was eventually going to see all fifty, with the two of them on board, and she had absolutely no objections, especially given the fact that with their trip to Bouvetøya, they would already be ticking off the first island on the list.

Their voyage to Mehrgarh in Pakistan to find traces of the Other Side's originator had been only partially successful. There were no clues whatsoever to be found within the ruins of the ancient settlement, and after two weeks of meticulously searching every little corner and turning everything upside down, they had given up and gone on to question the elders of the surrounding villages, one by one. Klaus and Elijah did _of course_ speak Urdu, therefore the conversations had been relatively easy. Caroline, Silv, Rebekah and Elena had had to mostly remain in the background, looking demure and obedient in order not to upset the very patriarchally oriented villagers. Klaus and Damon had had a field day making fun of their 'Stepford Wives', and even Elijah couldn't help teasing Silv from time to time. The women had just begun to plot revenge when their men had emerged from yet another discussion with a village foreman. The microscopic hamlet they had stumbled across in the mountains near the Bolan Pass was not marked on any map, and according to what the men had learned, it did not even have a proper name. Its elder, however, had told them about a very ancient legend, an almost forgotten tale of a man who commanded not only the crocodiles but the water itself. Klaus had memorized the elder's tale and was in the midst of scribbling it down in Urdu when he emerged from the tiny house. A short while later, he had translated it and read it out to all of them.

_We speak of those that are forever, whose eyes and hands will never fade._

_Not bound by earthly chains they walk, all free to reign and rule our destiny. _

_They are our sky, our sea, our land and fire, and pray to them is what we must._

_Yet never shall our eye upon them fall, and never can our bloods be joined. _

_When red moon set the world ablaze, the law was willingly forsaken._

_Seduction made him leave his hearth, and lured into her waiting arms he was._

_The flame of wrongful fire burned too bright when man and goddess joined in sin._

_But trespasses so unrepented the wrath of destiny incur._

_For sunrise came to shed its beam, alight with dwindling powers and despair. _

_The tears a goddess cries are bitter when all eternity is lost._

_A woman with an aching soul must now embrace life in mortality._

_If thus our tale was at an end, no fears would taint our hearts and minds._

_And yet a boy was born, a child that man and siren fallen did beget._

_For fourteen summers all was well, no shadows cast their darkness then._

_But penance did befall the boy, a curse that for his lifetime lasted._

_There were no clouds when one fair morning, a crocodile beleaguered him._

_Wide open was the path to death, a road he should right then have taken._

_His life was spared, his heart still beat, but deep, dark blackness settled in his soul._

_No home was his from that day on, for mankind feared his godlike powers._

_All family was lost to him, there was no warmth, no light, no kindness._

_Revenge he took with no regrets, on all of those who cast him out._

_A wave he sent forth in the night, to swallow mother, father, friend and foe._

_What plagued him, though, he could not end with water, fire or a sword._

_His mother's sin, his father's guilt, are his in life, in death, eternally._

_Will ever mankind find a means to end the dark one's curse and pain?_

_Seek, people. Seek._

There had been a relatively long silence after Klaus had finished, and they had all looked at each other in confusion. The text was not overly cryptic, and they had to take into account that this was a mere legend and probably exaggerated in the extreme, but something about it had rang _true._ Caroline knew Klaus didn't believe in any deities, and neither did Elijah, Silv, Damon or Stefan. She wasn't sure about Elena and Bekah… or herself. It sounded completely moronic – a goddess who had slept with a human, which was apparently some sort of taboo, and was stripped of her divine powers as a consequence. To make it worse, she had become pregnant and had a spooky son who had obviously inherited some of her powers which had scared everyone to death, so they had cast him out and he had taken revenge on them. It all sounded incredibly similar to the little poem in the Original Grimoire, and that was most definitely no accident. But still, a _goddess? _And if any of this was true, the next question was, had the Demigodfather of all things supernatural had a couple of little The Omen kids? Klaus had shaken his head and muttered something about how this had all nothing to do with any kind of divinity but pure, simple, old-fashioned magic, and that they would need to extend their search to the world of witchcraft next. Still, they would hide the Grimoire first.

When they had just been about to leave for South Africa to charter the vessel that would bring them to Bouvet Island, Kol had called to let Elijah know about some sort of werewolf upheaval that was apparently going on, and the oldest Mikaelson had decided to return to New Orleans and keep an eye on things together with Silv. Stefan and Rebekah had joined them, and Klaus had provided them all with a generous supply of his blood just in case anything went awry. He didn't mind taking the sea trip with no other company than his wife – he was actually looking forward to it – but for a split second, Caroline had seen a little flicker in his eyes, and she knew that he had had a brief relapse into Big-Bad-Hybrid-will-mow-everyone-down times. It had, however, really only lasted a moment. What unnerved her husband way more was the fact that all of a sudden, Damon and Elena were not to be dissuaded from joining them on their sea voyage, and Caroline suspected that apart from his generic – and mostly faux – annoyance about all things Damon, he was mainly upset over not being able to make love to her on or against every flat, tilted or vertical surface the ship had to offer. So was she, but it would still be nice to have Elena around and chat a little more about the wedding. And yet… she was looking at days on end without making love to Klaus the way she adored the most… wildly, crazily and… loudly. It was a terrible thought, but as usual, her husband was one step ahead. Once they had found the right ship, he had left for a couple of hours and reappeared with a witch in tow whom he had compelled to sound-proof just about every room on the vessel and then forget all about them.

And now they had arrived, after four days on the open sea, and the trip had been been utterly pleasurable in more than one way. First, Damon and Klaus had brought their Waldorf and Statler act to an entirely new level, and it was hilarious. Caroline had no idea whether it was the fresh air, the fact that they were stuck on a boat with no chance at escaping, or the simple truth that their grudging tolerance of each other had turned into a full-fledged bromance. Whatever it was, they were having _fun _together, contagiously so. Second, the hours just flew by while Elena and Caroline were immersing themselves in the details of Damon's and Elena's wedding. They hadn't set a date as no one had any inkling how long their journey would last, but it was always good to have a foolproof plan in place and to know what needed to happen once they knew _when _it would happen. And thirdly, _Klaus._ He was completely in his element steering Valhalla, consulting nautical maps – he had flatly refused to turn on the GPS – and even navigating using the stars. Caroline was fascinated, and it was simply wonderful sitting next to him on deck, watching him handle the sextant and making notes on his maps. When she had asked him whether there was anything he couldn't do, he had just grinned and mumbled, "_Fly the Space Shuttle_," and returned to calculating angles and trajectories. He had been busy navigating almost the entire four days as he didn't want to entrust Damon with the vessel for more than a couple of hours at a time – which had been a cause for extensive bickering – so Caroline had had to sleep alone, and she missed falling asleep and waking in his arms. Among other things. And she knew he missed it just as badly, for neither of them was truly satisfied with a mere hour in one another's embrace. This morning at dawn, when Damon and Elena had still been sleeping, she had put on nothing but a robe and joined Klaus on the bridge. He had taken one look at her, gently unbelted her negligee and stood in front of her, whispering adoringly, "_I love you beyond reason, my darling girl. Please let me show you just how much."_ And right there, on the bridge of a ship, in the midst of an ocean in turmoil, he had made her heart melt with his soft kisses, his feather-light touches and his endlessly tender lovemaking. When she had been lying in his arms, warm, protected, loved, she had pressed her lips to his heart and lingered for a long time before she had locked her gaze with his. _"I know it's pretty obvious from the way I react to your every touch, Niklaus, but I think I have to tell you again that you're the most incredible lover in history. And it's not just _what_ you do, it's _how _you do it. You're so intense, and you enjoy it all so much… you just love to make love, and it's beyond sexy, no matter if we're being wild and dirty, or all slow and romantic, like right now. I'll never get tired of it, not in a million years." _Klaus had pulled her onto his body and kissed her hard. Just before they had let themselves be seduced by one another again, he had brought his lips to her ear. _"Making love to you is my own personal religion. And you are my own personal goddess."_ Ah, she just adored being in love with Klaus!

They were all on deck now, staring at the lonely island ahead that was so exposed to the onslaught of the elements. The winds didn't seem to be favourable for a regular landing today, and after a moment of consideration, Klaus shook his head. "We cannot berth any closer to the coast. We will have to drop anchor out here and use one of the dinghies to land. Prepare yourselves, everyone, the surf might make things somewhat uncomfortable. A dinghy is not quite the means of transportation in rough waters like these, but we cannot be overly choosy."

Damon cast a fleeting look at the raging sea and shrugged. "Manageable. Want me to drop the anchor, oh captain my captain?"

"Do that. Ladies, you might want to get the arctic gear we packed. It is not that you could contract hypothermia, but there is a faint chance that we might get wet. And you may have noticed that the windchill is rather harsh." Klaus was already on his way to the stern when he called over his shoulder, "Damon, once you're done with the anchor, we will need to launch the dinghy. Disembarkent should be an interesting affair."

"Yes, Admiral Nelson," Damon bellowed and saluted before he disappeared towards the bridge to release the anchor. Caroline and Elena grinned and went to collect the arctic gear. When they returned, the men had already launched the dinghy which was being tossed around by the dark grey waves like a leaf in a thunderstorm. The girls looked at the minuscule rubber boat, then at each other, back at the boat and finally at Klaus and Damon.

"Are you serious about this?" Caroline demanded, pointing at the waves, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Shouldn't we wait for better weather, or, I don't know, for the freaking tsunamis to stop?"

Klaus pulled her into his embrace and held her very tight for a moment, whispering, "We will be just fine, my love. Trust me." She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him before releasing her hold. Of course she trusted him, and in the end, nothing could really happen to any of them, but this looked _scary._ With a sigh, she looked at Elena, whose face was just as skeptical as her own, and they both shrugged. _It'll be like riding one of those banana boats they have at beach resorts. It'll be fun. I think. Gah, the waves must be about fifteen or twenty feet high! _Damon was already hunkering on the minuscule swimming platform, holding the dinghy that was bucking like Caligula when he was in an especially sour mood. Klaus jumped down to join him, and the men managed to keep the boat relatively steady.

"Come on, ladies, hop in and get ready for the ride," Damon exclaimed, sounding like an announcer of a funfair carrousel. Taking a deep breath, Caroline and Elena both stepped into the dinghy, sitting down and immediately grabbing the circumferential rope. Klaus looked at Damon who nodded and jumped into the boat, taking his place at the very front right before Klaus joined them. The second the Original released the dinghy from his iron hold, the waves attacked it so mercilessly that it felt like they were sitting on a catapult, being tossed up towards the skies and falling into a crevasse right after. Klaus started the outboard motor and grabbed the tiller, and the boat shot ahead. All in all, there seemed to be more control and a little more steadiness now, but Caroline understood what her husband had meant about how a dinghy was not the adequate means of transportation in rough seas like these. They sped forward with the tide, but as they were faster than the swell, it meant that they climbed the waves, remaining on the incredible height of the crest for a second before… _flying _into the trough, with the wall of water towering behind them. Then they overhauled the next breaker, and so forth. The winds were icy, the splashes of water on her face and her hair were just as cold and she was still a little scared, but Caroline found the ride breathtaking. One look at Klaus and Damon told her that the men were enjoying themselves immensely, but Elena didn't seem overly happy. Right before their drop into the next trough, Caroline grabbed her friend's hand and squeezed it encouragingly.

"Look, we're close now, it's not far!" she shouted over the thundering waves, but then they had to hold on to the rope with both hands again.

"Can vampires throw up?" Elena yelled back, looking positively green in the face.

Caroline grinned and winked at her. "I guess we're about to find out!" Then her eyes softened. "Don't worry, Lena, it'll be over in a minute."

They were approaching what looked like a little bay now, which Klaus had explained was the result of a landslide. Before said event, the area had consisted of nothing but steep cliffs, like most of the remaining coastline, but now there was a relatively flat space of debris and rubble where it was indeed possible to land. The dinghy was racing towards another wave, and the moment they reached the crest, Klaus killed the engine. Caroline turned around to seek his eyes, wondering what he was up to, when he shouted, "Hold on tight now – we are going to let the swell wash us ashore." _Huh? Is he crazy?_ But then she saw what he meant. They remained on the crest of the wave, and it carried them towards the field of pebbles. _Oh, that's too fast… much too fast… we're going to… _

"Jump!" Klaus commanded in a thundering voice when the dinghy was just about to crash into the rocky shore, and the three of them obeyed his order without thinking, leaping out of the little boat at full vampire strength and landing on solid ground, inches ahead of the dinghy. The Original caught it right before it hit the rocks, minimizing the impact and then pulling it away from the water that would have drawn it right back into the ocean. Damon took Elena in his arms and gave her a quick kiss.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, looking at his fiancée with worried eyes. _Very un-Damonish._

"Yeah," the brunette nodded, a little shaken. "But please tell me you're not going to buy one of these things once we get back home."

Klaus had just stowed the dinghy behind a large rock, protected from wind and waves, when he came up to Caroline. "How about you, my darling? Are you all right?"

She smiled and took his hand, pulling him in to feel his soft, warm lips on hers a second later. "I'm fine. Why is it that I can still get scared about things like this when I know nothing can actually happen to me?" she asked. More than once, she had wondered how it was possible to fear something that couldn't cause any true harm.

He took her face in his hands and nodded. "It is perfectly normal for young vampires to feel like that. You have lived seventeen years as a human, and your human intuition is still relatively strong. Fear is one of the strongest instincts, not only in humans, but in all beings, supernatural or not. Therefore this instinct still kicks in when you are faced with a situation that would have frightened your human persona. It lessens, in time, and your intuition will change. Your fears will differ from what they were in your first life, and something like this will not scare you any longer. It might take a while, as you have to consider that you spent seventeen years developing and living by your human instincts, and you have only been a vampire for little over two years."

That made sense. Caroline looked up at him and tilted her head. "So you didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable with the dinghy ride and the jump?" she probed.

"No, not at all. I lived twenty-six years as a human, and if I remember correctly, I needed about thirty to forty vampire years to truly shed what made me anxious before. But once it was gone, it was gone for good. Jumping glaciers, riding a dinghy through the rough Southern Ocean… these are not the things that can make me uneasy," he explained and pointed towards a formidable cliff to their right. "Shall we?"

The group walked at human speed. While they were slowly approaching the crag, Caroline let her eyes wander, taking in her surroundings. There was only a very narrow stretch of flat land, maybe three hundred yards wide, which ended abruptly where the the steep cliffs and mountains rose into the skies. She could detect nothing out of the ordinary, but the feeling of mystery she had experienced ever since she had first set eyes on Bouvet Island persisted. Heavy storm clouds were hanging low over the isle, adding to the strange atmosphere. Had it been green, tropical and warm, she would have expected to run into the large wall that was supposed to ward off King Kong any minute now. And… had dinosaurs existed in the subantarctic regions? Shaking off her idiotic fantasies, she concentrated on the way ahead until Elena, who was walking right in front of her, gave a delighted shriek.

"Oh my God, look! Penguins!"

And there they were. Dozens and dozens, staring at them as curiously as they were gazing at the birds. Caroline frowned, recalling the penguins she had seen in Patagonia. These looked different, very cute actually, with a little black line surrounding their heads. "Does anyone know what kind of penguins these are?"

To everyone's eternal surprise, Damon nodded. "They are called chinstrap penguins, _pygoscelis antarctica. _Their home is Antarctica as well as the subantarctic islands, like this one. The species became famous when two male birds in the New York Zoo hooked up and were given an egg to hatch. It seems that even penguins are more advanced than humans when it comes to gay marriage and adoption." They all stared at him incredulously, and he raised his hands. "What? When I'm not busy herding Captain Hook here or listening to endless ravings from my beloved about the importance of the right font for wedding invitations, I do watch Discovery Channel."

With a spontaneous laugh, Klaus clapped a hand on Damon's shoulder. "I sympathize entirely, mate. The font discussion can put a man out of commission, can't it?" he chuckled with a wink at Caroline.

"Tell me about it, buddy. I'd rather swim back to the ship than endure another minute of…"

Rolling their eyes, the women let their men walk ahead and ramble on about the cruelty of their lot. Very carefully, they approached a small group of penguins that was sitting on the lee side of a large boulder, protected from the winds and bouts of sea water spray. The birds looked positively suspicious, and Caroline had the distinct sensation that the largest penguin's eyes were actually narrowing. They took another couple of steps in their direction to get a closer look, and just when Elena had pulled out her camera phone to snap a couple of pictures, the big bird spread its tiny wings and came running towards them – if what it did could be considered _running _– making a funny kind of noise, something between a hiss and a squawk. They stumbled backwards, stunned by the sudden movement of the penguin, and stepped away quickly. Damon was just casting a look over his shoulder and burst into laughter.

"I forgot to mention that the cute little things can be rather aggressive," he snickered when Klaus joined his laughter.

"Idiots," both girls snapped in unison.

* * *

A short while later, they had reached the bottom of the cliff. It had looked relatively steep from afar, but from up close, it was a stunning, vertical wall of nothing but weathered rocks. Klaus pointed upwards. "See the small black spot about four hundred feet above? That is a little cave, I have spotted it from the yacht earlier today. My first throught was to bury the Original Grimoire under a thick layer of ice, somewhere in the middle of the island, but I have decided that it is impractical for two reasons. First, we would need to climb the mountain to access the island's interior. It consists mainly of glaciers, and I most definitely do not feel like falling into a crevasse and making my way out of it again. Second, we would also need to dig very deep, as some of the ice cap does melt during the summer months. Should we ever require the book again, there will be a good reason for it and I do not want to have to waste any time digging a ten feet hole into the ice, maybe miss the correct spot and not find the damn thing again. The cave holds a few advantages – it is close to the shore, the climb is relatively easy for a vampire, and it is ice-free."

"But if it is that easily accessible for us, it will be just as simple for other vampires, should they look for it. The cave is not exactly hidden, is it?" Caroline objected, eyeing the diminutive opening doubtfully.

Giving her a tender smile, Klaus acquiesced. "That is true. But I have learned one thing – there is no perfect hiding place. I thought I had found it, but Esther disabused me of that notion. This island is the remotest spot on Earth, the cave is not immediately obvious, and there is another aspect that contributes to the manuscript's safety. Davina has cast a spell on it, making Elijah and me the only beings on the planet able to retrieve the book once it has found its lair. Others can _see _it, but there will be an invisible wall to protect it from unwarranted suitors. My brother and I can penetrate the barrier, but no one else."

Ten minutes later, the four of them were standing in the cave entrance, staring into the grotto. It was very dark, and the black clouds that were blocking out any rays of sunshine were definitely not helping. Klaus pulled a flashlight from his down jacket, relieving them from having to use their mobiles, and moved forward. Caroline, Elena and Damon followed in single file, their eyes on the stream of light that was dancing ahead. After about eighty yards, Klaus stopped dead, making Caroline almost bump into him. She was just about to move forward to ask what was going on when he grabbed her arm, stopping her from taking another step. And not a second too early. Where Klaus was standing, the narrow tunnel ended abruptly, opening into a gigantic dome. The flashlight was very powerful, but definitely not strong enough to irradiate the entire cavern. She could clearly see that it was humongously big. At its bottom, at least two hundred feet below the tunnel, a clear, deep blue lake was visible, sparkling like sapphires whenever it was illuminated by the flashlight. Caroline felt reminded of the blue diamonds on her engagement ring and the divine necklace Klaus had given her shortly before she had been forced to leave him. The sight was as beautiful as it was unexpected, and the four of them stood staring at the panorama for what seemed hours, but was probably closer to mere minutes. All of a sudden, Klaus' head jerked up.

"Something is not quite right," he muttered, his voice strained, "but I cannot tell you what it is. Step back, all of you, and remain within the tunnel."

They did as he had said, retreating into the little cave. Silently, Damon motioned for Caroline and Elena to stand against the wall and give him free space to cover the rear or jump to Klaus' aid, should the Original require it. Caroline's eyes were on her husband who was standing right on the edge of the solid, cold rock that fell vertically all the way down to the blue lake. She could see the intense concentration on his face as his eyes closed and his breathing became very slow and strangely deep. He touched his temples, pressing his fingers against them as if in pain, and lowered his head. _Something isn't right, I can feel it, too. He needs to get away from that precipice!_ She hadn't quite finished the thought when they all heard it. Whispering. Urgent, unintelligible utterings in a language none of them understood. They looked at each other, then back at Klaus who had not moved, apparently listening intently. It went on for a very long while until all of a sudden, the whispers stopped, and into the complete silence that ensued, someone spoke. It was one single word, uttered by an unfamiliar voice, echoing from the walls of the dome, at the same time dark and crystalline, strangely hypnotic and beckoning. _This _word they all understood.

"Jump."

It was an instant reflex reaction. Both Caroline and Damon leaped forward and grabbed Klaus' legs the very second he was about to step forth and throw himself off the edge. The instant she touched her husband, Caroline felt a strange urge to do just what the voice had commanded, not unlike the pull she had experienced when jumping across the Pits in sector six. With all her might, she forced her hand to touch her Signum, waiting for the warmth to help her return to reason. A moment later, she felt like herself again and helped Damon to pull Klaus back into the tunnel. The Original was too dazed to react, and Damon wasted no time. He grabbed both him and Caroline, shouting at Elena, "Move!" and flashed them towards the cave entrance. When they reached the opening, he gave Klaus a rough shove and barked, "Get down there, _now!_" Like a robot, her husband obeyed the older Salvatore's command and began to swiftly descend the cliff, followed by Caroline who never took her eyes off him. The further down they moved, the less edgy Klaus' motions became, and it looked like the strange kind of trance was gradually leaving him. _My God, what was that? He would almost have jumped – how could that have happened to _Niklaus_? What if he had jumped and then hadn't found a way out? And why wasn't any of us affected at all?_

It was not until they had safely reached the bottom of the cliff that anyone spoke again. Klaus was standing with his back to them, taking deep breaths and shaking his head as if wanting to chase away the last remnants of the daze. Very slowly, he turned around, and Caroline gasped at the sight of his face. He was white as a sheet and a strange kind of fire was burning in his eyes, reminding her of how he had looked after he had finally defeated Mikael. His gaze sought hers, and she put all of her love, all of her tenderness into her eyes, attempting to bring him back into the present for good. Gesturing for him to touch his Signum, she kept her eyes firmly on his. And it seemed to be working. The unhealthy flicker that had been crossing his face slowly disappeared, and he finally held out his hand. Caroline saw his eyes close for a second when she took it and squeezed it very gently. When he opened them again, he looked at her and then at Damon.

"Thanks, mate."

With a nod, Damon acknowledged the rare moment of seriousness. "What was that? What happened in there that made you reenact Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?"

Klaus ran a hand through his hair and looked up towards the cave opening four hundred feet above. "I began to feel strange the moment the flashlight first met the lake. It was something closely resembling a beginning panic attack, but then it turned into something else. A pull. An irresistible pull. I felt like I _needed _to be in there, that my entire being craved to be united with whatever lives in that cavern. When the voices began to whisper, this longing developed into what was probably the second strongest need I have experienced in a thousand years."

Swallowing and doing her best to ignore her fear, Caroline squeezed his hand again. "What were the whispers saying? And what language was that anyway?"

"It is very hard to determine, as it was a mixture of many languages. A little bit like the tale of Babel in the Bible, after God confounded people's was some Aramaic, some ancient Egyptian, some Hebrew, some Latin. I understood most of that. But the greatest part was spoken in what I believe was some very strange variation of Sanskrit, probably an extremely early version of it. Not surprising, if we consider whose voice it was we just heard."

There was a long pause before Caroline whispered, "You think it was _him. _The demigod. The creator of the Other Side."

"Yes. I do not know if it was him in the flesh – or whatever else he consists of – or some sort of projection he conjured. But I have no doubt that we just experienced our first encounter with the father of all things supernatural."

It took all of them a moment to gather their wits. "So what did he say to you, Klaus?" Elena asked, her hand sneaking into Damon's.

The Original hesitated. "As mentioned, I did not understand all of it. But from what I gathered, he spoke of… someone new. Someone who is to be befallen by the curse he had to endure for so many millennia. A boy who shall step into darkness upon completing his fourteenth summer, as he phrased it, and who will found another realm of punishment once his powers are fully developed."

Groaning, Damon threw his hands up in the air. "Another one? You've gotta be kidding me. We just sent the Other Side to the Happy Hunting Grounds, and now we're getting a new asylum for the supernaturally insane? Was he at least a little more precise in regards to the boy?"

"Not really," Klaus shrugged. "There was no mention of who the boy was, or when it is going to happen. Could be today, could be in a hundred years. Furthermore, if we think of the legend they told us in Pakistan, one of the boy's parents would have to be a god. I still firmly believe it is all about magic, but some more detailed information would be helpful."

"You could always go and ask him," Damon suggested with a grin. "Apart from Latin, I don't speak any of the old languages, otherwise I would volunteer."

Klaus raised his head to look at the cave again. "No. I will go. Alone."

_What?_

"Over my dead body," Caroline snapped. "Niklaus, you would have freaking _jumped _off the edge and into that lake only moments ago, and I don't think I feel like losing you to Lord Voldemort, or whatever this guy is. I know you want to find out what this is about, and that you never leave a challenge unfaced, but no way. We'll head back to the ship and find a new place to hide the Original Grimoire. I just want to get the hell out of here."

Without a warning, she found herself in Klaus' arms, and his warm lips whispered against the delicate skin of her neck, making her shiver despite her anger. "I believe I know how to resist him, my sweet little one. I was unprepared earlier, and I did not expect anything to happen in there. I am prepared now, and I will return to you unscathed. You will give me strength, my love. Your blood will serve as my shield. Will you allow me to feed from you?"

Damn, he knew she wasn't able to resist his intense plea, and even less was she able to fight down the urge to feel his fangs in her neck. She didn't care that Elena and Damon were watching, and something told her he would go back into the cave despite her protestations, so if he thought that her blood was what would protect him from harm, she would give him her very last drop. The second she nodded her assent, his double fangs grazed her skin and he greedily began to suck her blood. Before she succumbed to him with body, heart and mind, she heard Elena drag Damon away, muttering something about going for a walk.

"Niklaus," she just breathed, mesmerized by how it always felt like making love when her man drank from her, and how she forgot everything and everyone, even scary superwarlock-hypnotists.

"What are you waiting for?" he purred before delving into her blood again. _Yeah, what are you waiting for, Caroline? _

With a subdued moan, she buried her fangs in his neck, briefly wondering if Damon and Elena would mind terribly if she just tore off Klaus' clothes and jumped his bones right between boulders, ice and penguins. She had learned to more or less control her cravings for his Golden Blood, and she limited the times she drank from him, just to resist the temptation to completely drain him every time she laid eyes on him. Ever since their Signum had turned golden, his blood had become a true fixation for Caroline, one she yearned to yield to several times a day but did not allow herself more than maybe once or twice a month. She felt terrible because it limited the number of times he was able to drink from her, too, as she needed his blood to heal whenever he bit her. After she had explained her motivations to him, he had reasonably pointed out that it would be easier for her to get used to the cravings if she drank some of his blood every day, just as Stefan had done with Elena's a couple of years ago, but Caroline was reluctant. The problem was that the more she drank from him, the more she needed, and the mere thought of hurting or weakening him terrified her. But now… now was one of those coveted moments when she could just let herself go, giving in to her addiction and catapulting herself into heaven. Rich, dark, sweet, luxuriant, exquisite, spicy, seductive… she was running out of adjectives.

Just when she was about to fall into some sort of drunken stupor, Klaus gently pulled back and buried her in his embrace, his hands in her hair and his soothing voice next to her ear. "Yes, my love, I know it is hard for you to stop. Hold on to me, breathe, concentrate on the scent of the air and the sounds of the sea."

It took her long to pull herself together. Her hands fisted in Klaus' jacket, her breathing was ragged and she didn't dare to move her head until finally, the crisp, salty air had replaced the scent of his blood in her system. When she lifted her eyes to his, he was smiling.

"Although I find it immensely flattering that my blood makes you lose your head like that, I hate to see you having such a hard time whenever you stop. We might want to consider to no longer share blood."

Her head jerked up, and Klaus had to grin at the panic on her face. "Are you crazy? I'll learn to keep myself in check, I promise, but stopping altogether? Never ever!"

Crushing his mouth to hers, he kissed her wildly, his lips and tongue devouring her until she no longer remembered the day of the week. "You know, my little devil, I just adore it when you _don't _keep yourself in check. Promise me never to stop losing yourself to me."

Dazed, she nodded, snuggling into his arms and closing her eyes contentedly.

_Wait a minute. Something is rotten in the State of Denmark. Or rather, Norway, in this case. He would never do any of this in front of Damon, just to avoid years of ribbing. So why did he… oh, that bastard!_

"You did that on purpose, Niklaus Mikaelson! Making me drink from you, half-seducing me - you wanted to distract me from being mad at you!"

She would never admit how his boyish, mischievous grin made her heart flutter even when she was angry.

"Is it working?" he asked innocently, chuckling and pressing a loving kiss to her hair. When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat more serious. "Look, my Caroline, I may have attempted to distract you a little, but I did not lie to you. You are my eternal mate, and we are so strongly bonded that not even the Other Side withstood our joint power. When your blood is in my system or vice versa, our bond is so prominent and strong inside us that nothing can penetrate that fortress. I will be fine this time. He will attempt to invade my head again, but I will be ready. My heart, my mind and my body will be filled with you, and nothing and no one can get past you to me. Would you not agree?"

Caroline knew he was strong, and she was certain that she made him even stronger. And yet… "I sensed it, too, Niklaus. The pull to jump. Probably not as acutely as you did, but it was there."

He nodded. "Whatever one of us feels very intensely, the other can sense to a certain extent. Remember how I felt in Markusy, when we found traces of your family? And how you felt in Bogatovo where my ancestors came from? It is the same here – I felt the irresistible urge to jump, and you experienced a reflection of that sensation. But it will not happen this time. You will be down here, far from any siren calls, and what will accompany me is your strong, powerful blood, which in itself is unswayable. I have said this once today and I will say it again now – please trust me, my darling. I was caught by surprise earlier, but you know that I never make the same mistake twice."


	54. Bonus Chapter II:Throw Down the Gauntlet

**Hi dearies, the second bonus chapter is up now... :)**

**Special thanks once more to the guest reviewers - Anons, Justine, Tricia, Bekki and Marie - I know I said it before, but you rock! :)**

**Please enjoy the chapter, and I wish you all an amazing weekend!**

**THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH!**

**XX**

* * *

BONUS CHAPTER II

THROW DOWN THE GAUNTLET

When he had reached the crevice, he cast a long glance down at his wife. She was standing at the foot of the cliff, arm in arm with Elena, staring up at him. Even from up here, Klaus could see the tension in her face. He hated to make her anxious, but he needed to at least try and find out more. They had all helped to abolish the Other Side, so he had a sneaking suspicion that whatever was going to happen in the future, it would affect the entire extended family. Caroline, Davina and himself most of all, as they had been instrumental in bringing down the shadowy world, and if there was one thing he would never allow it was for any harm to come to his girl. Hence, if that implied some anger and anxiety on her part, he would readily pay that price.

"Getting cold feet?" Damon's voice sounded from a couple of yards further down. He was not as fast as Klaus and had therefore needed some more time to climb the crag. Caroline had insisted that her husband was not to enter the cave alone, and Damon would have had a hard time staying behind anyway. To the older Salvatore, the whole world was nothing but a gigantic adventure playground, which was one of the traits Klaus actually liked in him. Within limits, of course.

"What choice does one have but to get cold, watching the speed at which you are climbing?" the Original shot back, grinning when Damon materialized at his side.

"Don't judge those unfortunate enough to have to go through life without constantly being on vampire steroids, Lance Armstrong. So what's the plan?"

Gesturing towards the tunnel, Klaus said, "I will go back to the edge and attempt to establish some sort of communication with our new friend. Preferably monolingual," he added with a snicker. "You will remain here, right at the entrance. There is no need for more than one of us to be exposed to whatever he will come up with. Should I not be back in about twenty minutes, climb back down and return to the ship. With the ladies."

Damon snorted and rolled his eyes. "Come up with a better plan, Quatermain. You don't believe for one second that Caroline will ever leave this place without you. And even if I manage to drag her off the island, she will jump ship at the very first opportunity and swim back here. If you haven't returned in twenty minutes, I'll check on you, and if something happened, we'll need to improvise."

"Fine. It is your head after all. Do you have a sufficient amount of games on your phone to keep yourself entertained?"

"Don't worry, I can always design a new one. _'Big Bad Hybrid and the Raiders of the Lost Grimoire' _– what do you think?" Damon chuckled.

Klaus patted the older Salvatore's shoulder condescendingly. "You are lucky to be a vampire, mate. You would starve as an author." With that, he turned his gaze towards the distant figure of Caroline and stared at her for a moment. _'I love you,'_ he mouthed, touching his Signum and feeling the warmth spread inside him. He saw her touching her neck at the same spot, and more of the comforting glow flooded his system. With one last look, he turned and entered the cave.

Advancing through the tunnel at a very measured pace, he considered his approach. During the climb, he had decided to try his luck with Aramaic. The creature spoke it, that much was certain, and his own Sanskrit was extremely rudimentary, basically limited to written language, therefore it would not do. He had, however, not a single doubt that the warlock or whatever he was spoke even more languages than he did, given the fact that he had existed in one form or another for over seven thousand years. But there was something much more important he needed to do now. He stopped at about twenty yards from the precipice and closed his eyes. Within a nanosecond, he had reached the entrance hall of his memory palace. It was a dark, somber building, reminiscent of a medieval castle. He had explained to Caroline once that the one existing building whose layout could be compared to his palace was Bran Castle in Romania, only that his own version was about ten times as vast. He had first seen Bran around the times when he had begun building his mind palace, which had been sometime around the early fourteen hundreds, and it had unconsciously influenced the way he had laid out his palace. The irony was that it had later been inhabited by Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler, the Wallachian ruler who had allegedly served as the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. _No screenwriter would ever come up with something so absurd._

Over the centuries, Klaus had developed the ability to still interact with his surroundings while at the same time seeking refuge in his mind palace. He required absolute concentration for this exercise, but he knew it was what would keep his mind focused, should the warlock attempt to hypnotize him again. His eyes closed, he flashed into a bright, airy corridor from which a considerable number of doors were leading to those rooms he had stored his happiest memories in. Ever since he had met Caroline, this particular wing of his mind palace had moved much closer to the entrance; in earlier days, it had taken him long to reach his joyful reminiscences, for the simple reason that their number was limited and they were not at the forefront of his mind. He chose one large bronze door and stepped into the memory of one especially peaceful night he had spent with his lovely girl. It had been on Maui, and after their playful lovemaking, Caroline had fallen asleep in his arms, worming herself into him and wrapping every limb around his body. Her last words before drifting into unconsciousness had been, _'I'm home.'_ She had said that to him before, but never quite like this. His heart had almost burst with the unspeakable feeling of belonging, of love, joy, sweetness and redemption. He had spent the night wide awake, watching over her, and he had never felt that much peace, serenity and quiet contentment inside him. This was the memory he needed. His eyes still closed, he took in the details he had stored in this room. The light ocean breeze that had whispered through the hotel suite, the crumpled white sheets, the scent of Frangipani that lingered in the air… and the way Caroline's silken curls had been spread across his chest, how her skin had all but melted into his, and how each of the little sighs of happiness she heaved even in her sleep had forever been imprinted in his system.

When the memory filled him up, he gradually opened his eyes. He could still see and sense everything his mind had just conjured, and yet he was receptive to the outside world again. It was a sensitive equilibrium, carefully counterbalanced and practiced over the years. His senses focusing on the real world, he advanced until he reached the edge of the steep cliff. Sending the beam of his flashlight to meet the impossibly blue waters down below, he spoke up quietly in Aramaic.

"Who are you?"

There was a minute of utter silence before Klaus felt the earlier daze creeping up on him again. Just as it threatened to engulf his mind, he let his consciousness escape into the wide open room within his mind palace, feeling Caroline move softly in his arms, pressing a tender kiss to her hair and letting the all-consuming sensation of completeness spread through his entire being. And it did work. The trance that was attempting to encage him with what felt like fluttering tentacles could not reach his brain. Very slowly, he switched his attention back to the cavern.

"Let me make an assumption, then. You were born in Mehrgarh many millennia ago, to a human father and a mother of superhuman provenance. They cast you out when your magic began to see the light of day, and you punished them for it. You inundated your village, and your family and friends with it. Then you aimlessly wandered the Earth for many years with no place to belong, no home to rest your head. Until you created your own realm, a kingdom of shadows and darkness where all those supernatural beings you brought onto humanity had to spend their eternity. Am I mistaken?"

He had spoken Aramaic again, surprised at how fluent he still was. It had been centuries since he had last used the dead language, and his knowledge was somewhat rusty. An instant later, his silent question as to whether the warlock had understood him was being answered. Little by little, the lake brightened. What had been a vaguely perceptible gleam of dark blue in the depths of the dome turned into deep ultramarine, then into a glittering shade of sapphire until it finally became a bright, glowing royal blue. Strictly disciplining himself into not wasting any precious energy admiring the otherworldly beauty, Klaus concentrated on his soldier's eye. The whole cavern was visible now, bathed in a ghostly blue, and the sheer dimension of the dome was magnificent. Its ground was mostly covered by the lake, and the walls consisted of black lava, reminding him that under the thick layers of ice and snow, Bouvet was of volcanic origin after all. There were a few little lava terraces surrounding the water, but he could not detect any sign of life. Out of nowhere, the hypnotic voice echoed over the lake.

"Your mind is keen as your will is strong, immortal. There have not been many to withstand my compulsion."

"As there have not been many to compel me," Klaus replied.

"There has not been a single one, has there?"

Inclining his head, the Original raised his hands in defeat. "None but you. Who are you, warlock?" he repeated his earlier question. A ghostly chuckle resonated from the lava walls. It sounded joyless and empty.

"The name I was given at birth was Chaturaanan, but during the years I walked this Earth, I was known as The Hooded Man, or variations to that appellation."

There was a brief silence, and Klaus understood his knowledge was being tested. He had to give it to Damon – he _did _feel like Indiana Jones. "Chaturaanan. Sanskrit for The One with the Four Faces," he said after a moment of deliberation.

"Very good, immortal. My mother and father experienced a rare instant of lucency in bestowing this name upon me."

Klaus gave a curt nod. "One face is very obviously your own, the one you were born with. The other three are those of the vampire, the wolf and the warlock. Quite appropriate indeed. Why have neither your name nor your legend ever become part of the Indus folklore?"

"I have impeded any written testament of my life and legacy, with one exception – the papyrus you are carrying, which I myself had ordered to be crafted in Assyria, many millennia ago. No other evidence of my existence has been purported in writing, yet not even I am powerful enough to make the oral lores disappear. But let us be done with the pleasantries. You have returned to ask me a question, have you not?"

The guy was good. Klaus needed to remind himself that he was facing a being much, much older than himself, someone who knew the ways of the world like he did, if not better. It was a new sensation, and he was not certain he appreciated the feeling. He liked being the oldest, most powerful and knowledgeable creature on the planet, and he was not going to step aside, not even for an alleged demigod. "Two questions," he corrected, his eyes still scanning the magnificent dome for a hint of his opponent. There was none.

"May I assume your first question concerns my heir?" the magnetic voice sounded.

"As you call him your heir, is he your scion, then?"

There was something resembling a sigh. "He is not. He was born with the same curse that has burdened my own shoulders. This bane will descend upon him soon, once he has completed his fourteenth summer."

"So this boy has already been born, then. Who is he, and what it his present age?" Klaus demanded.

Another mirthless laugh echoed through the cavern. "Immortal, you have annihilated the world I created, and yet you believe that I am willing to divulge my knowledge on the one being most likely to avenge the loss of my kingdom? It is somewhat presumptuous of you, would you not agree?"

Now it was Klaus' turn to chuckle. "Humility has never been among my most prominent attributes. I recognize your being something like the founding father of all supernatural creatures, which means that to a certain extent, I owe you my existence. And yet I bow to no one, particularly not to a being I am not even able to see with my own eyes."

This was going to be very interesting. Something told him that the warlock, for lack of a better word, was not _able_ to take on a permanent shape, otherwise he would have done so already. It could be related to the destruction of the Other Side, but not necessarily. He remembered Esther saying something about how the elusive creator of the shadowy world was not to be found in any of the three realms, which was not only unusual but downright impossible, as each and every being had to be anchored to one of the planes. During her stay on the Other Side, Caroline had been told that the warlock had moved on to the Eternal Realm after a few thousand years in his kingdom. Judging by his nature and the fact that he created monsters that roamed the Earth to this day – not to mention an entire world of darkness – Klaus was relatively certain that Chaturaanan's fate would have been Padma. But he had been more than a warlock after all, and perhaps he had found a way to escape his destiny. And being condemned to lead an existence as a shapeless spirit, confined to this cave on the remotest, loneliest island in the world was the price he had to pay.

"I cannot read your thoughts," the warlock said now, "as you are closing your mind. But I assume that you wonder whether I can take on a corporeal form. The answer is no. Or rather, not _yet._ Within the boundaries of this cavern, I am capable of exerting influence over anyone's mind – humans and supernatural beings alike – and over the waters of the Sapphire Lake, not that this is a very useful gift. I was also able to wander my kingdom without making my presence known, so I could see and hear. For many centuries, this has been the extent of my powers. I have chosen this incorporeal existence over an alternative that was not to my liking, but now this period of exile is coming to an end. The boy that shares my curse is destined to unleash me from captivity, and together we shall rule this world and rebuild what you have shattered. You will therefore understand my refusal to speak of him to you." The voice paused, and there was a strange hint of something in it when it sounded again. "But I shall tell you this, immortal. You have been my greatest triumph, my most powerful creation."

Klaus shook his head. "My mother was the one to make me what I am, warlock."

"Whatever magic your mother possessed was given to her by me. I was her creator. And I was the one to make her share your father's bed. You see, never before had a witch mated with a wolf, and I believed that once all three creatures – the magician, the blood drinker and the wolf – were united in one being, it might beget a man who would rise to be my equal. You were an experiment, immortal."

Wide-eyed, the Original stared into the void. "But I have no magic," he muttered, unable to process what he had just been told. "So your experiment failed after all."

"You do have magic, although it is your most unsubstantial side and has never been awakened. And yet, you are right. The experiment failed, for I had not considered one basic fact. I am not a fusion of various beings, therefore no combination of anything could ever create _me._"

"Then what can?" Klaus demanded, still dazed with the news that some form of magical capability was apparently dormant inside him.

"Nothing. I am a caprice of nature, so to speak. The modern term might be 'genetic mutation', I suppose, one that I was not aware would occur again after me. Magic in itself has been a part of nature, a part of the world, since the beginning of time. My mother had it, but she was never aware of her powers. I was born with the mutation, or curse if you will, which first showed right after my fourteenth summer. I created the blood drinkers, the man-wolves and the first true witches and warlocks who were indeed aware of their gift and enhanced it steadily. And now… the Other One has arrived. I can feel his presence, as he is my only equal, and he will end my centuries of captivity. I shall return to Earth in full possession of my ancient powers."

_Brilliant. There go peace and quiet times. I am so sorry, my Caroline! _Klaus closed his eyes at the thought of yet another threat that needed to be wiped from the face of the Earth. For a brief instant, he wondered whether this was the price they all had to pay for being a part of the supernatural world. _All right, think, Niklaus. _The boy in question had already been born, therefore the maximum amount of time they had were thirteen years, provided the child had only recently come into the world. If they were very unlucky, the moment the curse would awaken within the new super-warlock was only days or weeks away. No witch or warlock was ever initated before their fourteenth year, and it took them long to reach the full bloom of their powers, but Klaus supposed that the majority of the usual rules were null and void in this particular case. They needed to find that boy, and he would have to be killed on the spot. If he could be killed at all. Their friends in the Eternal Realm needed to be alerted to find out all they could on their end… Gods, when would it ever be over? A sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he returned his gaze to the dome.

"There has to be a counterpoint for everything and everyone, warlock, which tells us that there is a way to stop you and the boy, just as there was a method to annihilate the Other Side. You were forced to leave a hint at how it could be accomplished – and you crafted the manuscript that spoke of my Golden Blood. So what is the clue this time?"

Another chuckle filled the cavern. "Very good, immortal. Were you not so eager for my end, I would truly find you likeable. Yes, there is a way to destroy me and the boy, as nature dictates that there has to be. Apart from the Eternal Realm of the Dead, nothing is allowed to be truly indestructible, which is why you chose very wisely when making the decision to leave the remaining Pale Blood bearers alive. There has to be a way to terminate your existence, however difficult to achieve it may be. Incidentally… there is another means of ending you." _Caroline._ "Be that as it may, it is not in my best interest for you to learn how my demise can be accomplished, or that of the Other One. You will need to find out on your own, and you certainly can, but I doubt you will succeed."

"It does not seem overly fair, does it?" Klaus commented dryly. "You are well aware of the means to kill me, and I have no doubt that you will, in time, share this information with your _heir. _And yet, I have not the slightest inkling about how to eliminate the two of you."

"I find it surprising that during your many centuries on this Earth, it has apparently escaped your attention that life is never fair. All right, then. Go and attempt to find out. I feel well entertained today, which is why I will graciously share one piece of knowledge with you – you have one year, immortal, until the curse will fall on the Other One."

With a nod, Klaus acknowledged the warlock's words. One year. A year he had hoped to spend on Hawaii with his girl, a carefree year full of love and laughter and fun, devoid of any worries or dangers. Well, Chaturaanan was right. Life was never fair. But he would fill this year of research – and however long it took them to kill the two warlocks after he had found out how – with as much joy and pleasure for Caroline as he could, to somehow make up for yet another threat that needed to be faced, and yet another postponement of their quieter times together. He cast a disdainful look into the dome. "There is a way to put you down, and your successor, and I will find it, warlock. You may rest assured. In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy your solitude, for I do not think there will be much of it once you arrive in Padma."

After a brief moment of silence, the warlock spoke again, studiously ignoring Klaus' last remark. "You had two questions, or so you said. What is the second one?"

Now it was Klaus' turn to hesitate. It was a stupid question, at least in his book, but he was beyond curious. He had been ever since he had come of age. "The legends say you were descended from a goddess who mated with a human, and I do not believe any of that. You said yourself that your mother was a witch, unaware of her powers, thus no goddess. But there is one question I have always pondered, and who better to ask than you?" He paused and took a breath. "Does any kind of deity exist at all?"

This time, the silence was longer, and Klaus was beginning to wonder whether he would get an answer when Chaturaanan's voice vibrated through the stale air anew. "That is a very good question, immortal, and my answer is that I cannot say. Not once during the many millennia I spent in this world or the next has there been proof – or counterproof. The one thing that makes me suspect that there might be some form of higher jurisdiction is the selection process upon reaching the Eternal Realm of the Dead. There is general consensus about it being nature that chooses those condemned to an eternity in Padma, but I find this explanation somewhat too vague. Be that as it may, I have never seen, heard or felt anything that convinces me of the existence or non-existence of supreme beings. Other than myself."

Nodding, Klaus bit his lip thoughfully. He would never admit it, but he was somewhat disappointed. He did not _believe,_ he never would, but he would have liked to _know._ Well, with everything they had lately discovered and all the events that had unfolded, chances were that they would find out eventually. Now the first and foremost priority was to discover what could kill the warlocks, and who the bloody boy was. They had one year, and he would most definitely not spend it in idleness. He knew the shapeless man would not reveal anything further, he had heard it in his voice, and his centuries of prying information from others had taught him to recognize the precise tonality that conveyed the end of the flagpole. _Hitherto shalt thou come, but not further._

"Well, warlock, it has been most enlightening, but as I am certain you will understand, I shall take my leave from you now." He sensed that Damon was coming up through the tunnel and held up a hand to hold him back. "Our paths will cross again."

"They will." There was a moment of silence, and Klaus turned to leave. "Immortal."

"Yes?"

"I may call you immortal, but you and I are aware that you are not. And neither is… your wife."

He loathed the moment of white-hot fear that captured his entire body and mind. His face did not betray any emotion when he gave a cold chuckle. "There is no true immortality, warlock, not for me, not for you. Which leaves us at something of an impasse, would you not agree? We shall see who will be the last man standing when all time ends, shall we not?"

With no further ado, he turned and walked towards Damon at human speed. The older Salvatore was looking at him curiously, but Klaus just shook his head and gestured towards the opening.

* * *

They were back on the Valhalla but had not yet heaved anchor. Klaus had just finished the summary of his conversation with the warlock, and there was a deafening silence around the table. The thundering winds and waves were all that was to be heard, and the three of them looked stricken, even Damon. Without a warning, Caroline jumped up and left the table, flashing out of the room at full vampire speed. She couldn't bear another minute of thinking about this new, deadly threat that lay ahead of them, and she just wanted to be alone. But she knew that Klaus had been at no loss to notice the tears welling up in her eyes, and she heard him mutter, "Damon, take the helm. Use the GPS, and set course for Cape Town. I will be a while."

She slammed the door to their stateroom wide open before flinging herself onto the bed and burying her face in her hands, letting the tears flow freely. It was so _unfair!_ What had they done? Why couldn't everyone just leave them alone? She wanted nothing but to lead a peaceful life with Klaus, have him all to herself and make him as happy as he made her. Why _the fuck_ was that too much to ask? For a split second, she wondered whether her thoughts about finding a way to override the vampires-can't-procreate rule had been some sort of trespass that was being punished now, but she immediately dismissed the infantile idea. They had always been under siege in some sort of way, and mere thoughts could not influence real events. A moment later, she heard him close the door and join her on the bed, gently pulling her back against his chest and encaging her in his strong, protective arms. There was an instant of delight at the wonderful feeling, but Caroline chased it away immediately. She wanted to be mad, she wanted to cry and she wanted to sulk.

_Ahm… but you do know that this is not his fault, right?_

_I don't care. This is unfair, and I just don't WANT this!_

_Yeah, Caroline, that will most definitely be helpful._

_I don't wanna be helpful, so can you just SHUT UP?_

His lips brushed her hair, and she began to cry harder. This was really all she wanted – to be in his arms, to travel the world with him, and not to worry about a thing. Just a little happiness!

"I am so incredibly sorry, my darling," he whispered at her ear. "You may rest assured that I do not want to spend my time searching for the way to kill these warlocks any more than you do. But as much as I would like to, I cannot ignore this new threat, especially not as it concerns you to an extent. I swear to you, Caroline, once we have weathered this storm, no pun intended, there will be no one but you and me. I swear it on my life."

She sat up abruptly, pulling out of his arms and glaring at him. A little voice inside her kept whispering that she was being beyond unfair herself, but she didn't care. Not right now. "You keep saying that, and in the end, it doesn't happen. It will _never _happen! If we survive this, then it will be something about Kol and New Orleans, or your freaking mother will find a way to escape Padma, or someone questions your oh-so-important position as the most powerful being on Earth, or whatever else. It will _never _be just you and me, Niklaus, can't you see that?"

Caroline no longer realized that she was shouting. She was so disappointed, so scared and so _tired_ of being scared that she just needed to lash out. She knew Klaus saw through her, but she was also sure that he wouldn't have any of this… and she was right.

"My love, whilst I do understand your fear, your anger and discontent with the situation, I would prefer not to be made the target of your frustration. You can trust me when I say that I am more than aggrieved at this new development. Do you honestly think that I would choose putting down enemies over spending my days making you happy? If so, then I do believe we will need to have a very serious conversation, Caroline." Just when she wanted to hop off the bed, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Leaning against the headboard, he trapped her in his arms, her back against his chest again, his lips at her ear. "I love you, Mrs. Mikaelson, I love you so deeply that it overwhelms me sometimes. And you have known from the very beginning that I will eliminate everything and everyone who threatens your life and our happiness. Much as it pains me, I cannot and will not ignore the current situation, but I _will _find a way to put an end to this, as I always do. And once it is found, once the warlocks are neutralized, nothing – _nothing _– will keep me from giving you everything your heart desires. As a matter of fact, we have one year until the new warlock is to be initiated, and some more time until his powers are in full bloom. We will spend this period searching, yes, but that does not mean that there will be no time for happiness, no time to be enjoyed during that year. I know it is much to ask, but please, believe in me. I will make it happen. For you. For _us._"

She had stopped fighting against his iron grip and was leaning into him now. His pleading voice was something she had always had a hard time resisting, especially when she knew he was actually right. This wasn't his fault, and she needed to stop behaving like an unreasonable adolescent. If only she wasn't so severely disappointed! She had been so looking forward to their quieter times, and even more so after she had gotten a taste of how things could be when they had stayed on Maui. The thought of more danger and drama all but strangled her, but if they didn't stick together, if they didn't rely on each other, it would make things very difficult for them. And she didn't _want _to be at odds with him, not now, not ever. It could probably not be helped at times, but if she could avoid it just by not being childish, she would. So she finally nodded and hung her head. However reasonable she was determined to be, she was also beyond sad, and she had once promised him never to hide her feelings.

His arms were around her, and she felt his lips on her hair. "Niklaus," she murmured when a thought crossed her mind, "You said the warlock – what was his name again?"

"Chaturaanan. The One with the Four Faces."

"I think I'll just call him Chat. Easier."

Klaus chuckled. "I am certain he would be delighted."

"Anyway, so Chat said there was another way to kill you. What is that other method?" she demanded, trying not to sound too weary. But she was really tired of all this bullshit.

Clearing his throat, her husband tightened his grip and pressed a kiss to her temple. "He did not specify, but an educated guess would say it is you, my heart."

"Me? How…?" she exclaimed, closing her eyes at the thought of this new challenge. Geez, could vampires suffer from burn-out syndrome? If so, she was definitely prone!

He rested his cheek against hers, and his hands were tenderly stroking her arms. "It is a mere theory for the time being, but I have given this some thought. I am not certain whether you sense it, too, but I am relatively sure that our bond is still deepening."

Caroline nodded. "Yes, I'm feeling it. A little more every day. And I love the thought. I want to be as close to you as superhumanly – and humanly – possible. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons I believe that there has to be a way for us to…"

"Don't. Please." Astonished at the sharpness in his voice, she turned to look at him. His face was stony, but a moment later, his eyes softened. "My darling, I do not wish to be rude, but this topic is not one I am very keen on discussing."

"Why not?"

"I have already given you my reasons. First, I do not believe it is at all possible. Second, I need you, and you alone. And to be perfectly honest, I do not even want to think about sharing your love with anyone, not even a son or daughter. Third, and most importantly – you know who I am. You know where I come from. Do you seriously believe I of all people should father a child?"

She gave him a bright, loving smile. "Oh, I most definitely think you should. But you're right about one thing – now is not the time to discuss this. Just don't believe for one second that we're done talking about it for good, Niklaus." Winking at him, she thought it political to change the topic and return to the recent events. "Okay, so our bond is deepening. What does that have to do with my being the method to kill you?"

Klaus didn't say anything for a while, just burying his face in her hair and breathing deeply, inhaling her scent. When he finally spoke again, his voice sounded a little strained. "I have come to believe that our connection will intensify to a level where neither of us can live without the other, and I mean that quite literally. I think we will reach a point of union that will kill me should you ever die, and vice versa."

He held his breath, very obviously expecting her to be appalled, shocked, stunned into silence. But Caroline just shrugged and said, "Okay."

Cupping her face with his hands, he turned her around to get a better look at her. "'Okay'? That is all you have to say?"

Very softly, she covered his lips with hers, kissing him slowly but thoroughly before she released him again. "Do you seriously believe that I would want to live for another minute if you died? For another _second?_" She paused. "But that's just me, my love. I mean… you will probably feel a little differently about it."

There was a soft thud when his head banged against the headboard, and Caroline had to grin at his exasperated groan. "You know that I have always loved your wit and your keen mind, my beautiful woman, therefore I will have to doubly apologize for what I am about to say, but sometimes, you can be a little dingbat. And I am _not _talking fonts here." She giggled. "Why do you think I left the Pale Blood bearers alive?"

Now she sobered and turned to look at him fully. "Balance of nature?" she asked quietly, making him scoff.

"The bloody balance can screw itself, for all I care. No, Caroline. I am keeping them alive and protected because I need a way to kill myself, should my theory about the extent of our bond be wrong. I either live with you, or not at all."

She knew she should be appalled or angry or outraged at the mere thought of Klaus considering suicide because of her, but all she felt were the butterflies parading through her stomach. It was not that this confession caught her by surprise, not really, but hearing him actually put it into words was different from the nebulous knowledge that he would not want to live without her. And he had given some concrete thought to how he would find his own end should she ever die, which made it all the more real. Yet, she still wasn't horrified or even upset, for she understood him so well. Once, a few weeks ago when Klaus and the men had been speaking to an elder in one of the remote Pakistani villages they had visited, she had been sitting on the banks of a small river, waiting. The other women had gone for a short walk, but Caroline had asked for a moment to herself, and during that moment, she had for some reason thought very intensely about how she would feel if Klaus wasn't there, if he was gone for good. At first, her mind had refused to even develop that scenario but then she had forced it to show her a life without him, and that was when her knowledge had become iron-clad certainty – there _was _no life for her without Klaus, and she didn't care if that made her a weakling, a disgrace to womanhood or whatever else. If he died, so would she, and it was for that reason that she just couldn't cast a stone at him now, even if the thought of Klaus dying sent a flash of agony through her. Swallowing, she tenderly kissed his Signum, reveling in his subdued sigh.

"So we will have to watch each other, plus the family, plus the Pale Blood bearers, and we will have to find out who the new warlock will be and how to eliminate both him and good old Chat. And find out if he told you the truth about your magic – not that I doubt you have it, the way you make me feel all the time." She winked again, smiling when he kissed her deeply. "Between all of that, when exactly were you planning on having some happy times?"

His lips were on her eyes, and his arms pressed her entire body against his. "Right now," he whispered, "and every moment we spend together. I cannot believe I am saying this, but we are not alone after all. The family will help with the research, and there will be many chances for us to escape for a while every now and then, just you and me. That is a promise, and I want you to have some faith in me, my Caroline. To prove it to you, I will delegate the first bit of research to Elijah and Davina, just pointing them in a direction I already have in mind, and once we arrive in Cape Town, you will get to choose where we will spend the next couple of weeks before getting absorbed by the hunt for the Holy Grail."

"After you have bought Valhalla, of course," Caroline added with a grin, worming herself into his embrace and closing her eyes again.

There was a chuckle when he murmured against her hair, "Lady, you know me far too well, do you not? So tell me, where would you like to go?"

She was just about to speak when something else crossed her mind. Pressing her lips into a thin line, she weighed her options. There was nothing she wanted more than to forget about the new dangers looming over their heads, but she would also have to be practical – the quicker they found something, the sooner they would be able to put the warlocks down and return to what really mattered. Their love, their lives, their family. Suppressing a frustrated sigh, she said, "My first thought would have been Hawaii, to go see our new house and spend some time there."

"But?" he inquired curiously.

Caroline looked up at him now. "I think we should travel to Paris instead, because something tells me your suspect Louis Van Tale to be the boy in question, don't you?"

His face split into a dimpled grin, and he pulled her into another searing kiss. "I take back everything I said earlier about dingbats, my love. Yes, it is indeed my assumption that young Van Tale might be the one. I remember Lau saying something about his not being initiated yet, so he could fit the age criterion. We will, however, need to speak to Lau anew, and I am certain it is not going to be a very pleasant conversation once he learns of our theory. I will ask Davina to start her search for Lau within the Eternal Realm, which might take her a while. And I appreciate your forward thinking, my love, but we will indeed go to Hawaii first of all and have some time to ourselves. The others can join after a few weeks in order to dicuss findings and next steps."

"Have I told you yet today just how much I love you, Niklaus?" she whispered, straddling him and taking his face into her hands. Just when she was about to cover his lips with hers, his mobile buzzed. Before leaving, he had bought one of those fancy satellite phones that worked virtually everywhere, probably even on a submarine at the bottom of the Marianas. Or on Jupiter. She grabbed the phone and handed it to him, nodding encouragingly when he wanted to set it aside. "It could be important."

"Not nearly as important as this." In a blur, he had rid her of the fleece and shirt she was wearing, and his mouth tasted the little space between her breasts. A minute later, they had both forgotten the phone, Chaturaanan, Louis Van Tale and the possible creation of a new Other Side. They were Klaus and Caroline, man and wife, heatedly submerging in their passion and finding themselves in each other over and over again until they had almost become one single being.

It was not until very much later that Klaus picked up his phone and glanced at the text he had received. His eyes widened, and he stared at the phone incredulously until Caroline finally gave in to her burning curiosity and nudged him. "What is it?" He handed her the mobile wordlessly, his eyes on her face now.

**_Nik. For some unfathomable reason, Davina agreed to marry me. You know I love her, but she is apparently crazy, for she is asking whether you would agree to give her away. Let me know. Kol_**

Caroline squealed with delight, hopping up and down on the bed. "My God, and about time! Finally! Oh, and you're to walk her down the aisle, how sweet is that?" She gushed on for another minute until she noticed his silence. "What's wrong, my love?"

Shaking his head, he pointed at the phone. Was he actually _nervous? _ "I cannot do that. Why does she not ask Elijah? He is the oldest, he is more of a…"

Her face went soft when she finished his sentence. "Patriarch? Well, Davina certainly sees it differently, doesn't she? I think it's lovely that she's asking you, and I also think it would mean a lot to her, just like it would to Kol. You know he's always admired you, Niklaus, just as Davina has also looked up to you from the beginning. Remember how you told me about the day she said she had the feeling to belong to our family, and how it had seemed to you that your acceptance was very important to her? She most definitely sees you as someone who matters to her a lot, someone worth giving her away to the man she's marrying, and that's an incredible honour, don't you think?"

Klaus was staring into the void, apparently not quite able to grasp the concept of there being people other than Caroline and maybe Elijah to whom he was important enough that they would seriously ask him to play such a significant role in an event as momentous as this. He liked Davina, he always had, and it had been relatively clear that she would become his sister at some point, but this was something he had definitely not expected. Caroline gave him time, just taking his hand and pressing a gentle kiss to it. He entwined his fingers with hers and stared down at their joined hands as if he was hoping to find some sort of answer there. Then he looked up and gave her a small smile. "Whatever it is, my darling, we will weather it. Super-warlocks, the creation of new worlds, sea voyages with Damon and Elena – and giving my future sister away. Just promise me I will always have you."

With a giggle, Caroline wiggled her brows. "Why don't you just have me again now?" She handed him the phone. "After telling your brother that you will of course be honoured to walk his fiancée down the aisle, not that I think there will be an actual church."

Typing at full vampire speed, he hit send before Caroline could grab the mobile to check what he had written. He let her wrestle the phone from his grasp and grinned as she read aloud.

**_It would seem that someone will have to talk some sense into the poor girl. Let us hope I will manage to change her mind about making such a terrible mistake on the short walk to whatever pagan altar you will choose, brother._**

Rolling her eyes, she shoved the phone back into his hands. "Don't you think you should add a little something?"

Playing dumb, Klaus ran a finger over her neck… her shoulders… her breast… her stomach… She drew a sharp breath, and right before she was about to close her eyes and concentrate all of her senses on his touch, she muttered, "Come on, Niklaus." With a sigh, he grabbed the mobile.

**_Congratulations, Kol._**

"And now," he whispered huskily, setting the phone aside, "you will pay dearly for bossing me around like that, Mrs. Mikaelson."

And pay she did. With interest and compound interest.

_You're right, my beautiful Niklaus. We will weather it all. _

_Promise._


	55. Author's Note III

**Dear all,**

**I apologize, this is not a new chapter, but I just need to get it out - 1000 reviews! ONE THOUSAND! And yes, Tricia, you said it and I didn't believe you - so happy I was mistaken after all! ;) This is quite simply beyond my wildest expectations, and I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible support and all of your wonderful comments. I am flattered, humbled and incredibly honoured that all of you took so much time to let me know your thoughts and ideas.**

**And a very, very big hug to Reminiscingthepast for posting review #1000! *Smooooooch* :)**

**THANK YOU ALL FOR SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE! :)**

**My initial plan was to hit 'complete' after the second bonus chapter, but as we have reached this milestone, I think Sanctuaries deserves one last chapter. Please bear with me, though, as it will take a while, what with work and some issues going on... Oh, and one quick comment on the "procreation conversation" between Caroline and Klaus - the fact that Caroline _wants_ this to happen does not necessarily mean it will... life isn't always a bowl of cherries, is it? ;)**

**Once again, my honest thanks to all of you for making this happen... God, I'll miss you all so badly once the 'complete' button is hit! :)**

**XXX**

**Sybille**

**P.S.: On a sidenote, I have another reason to blush: Dungeons has been nominated for a Klaroline Award as Best Debut Fiction, and I have been nominated as Best Dark Author - another big THANKS to all of you who nominated it! For those who might want to vote, the link can be found on klarolineawards . tumblr . c o m . :)**


	56. Bon Ch III:Memories of Love and Beauty

**Hello dearies,**

**I am so sorry that it took me so long to upload the last bonus chapter - but I do hope I can make up for the wait, as the chapter ended up being over 18.000 words long. Some small pieces of smut and quite a little bit of fluff. ;)  
**

**I would also like to truly apologize for not replying to all the lovely reviews you guys gave the last chapter, I am really, really sorry about that, and I hope you will forgive me, but the last weeks have been incredibly straining, and I didn't really get around to anything. **

**A big thank you also to everyone who nominated and voted for Dungeons and for me in the Klaroline Awards on tumblr - I ended up in second place on both categories, which is a great honour! Thank you!  
**

**Lastly - I will be hitting the Complete button after uploading, so this is really it. Thank you so very, very much to all of you who have accompanied me with Dungeons and Sanctuaries. You have given me courage and so much happiness with your lovely reviews, and by reading the stories at all. It was simply beyond anything I ever thought possible.**

**THANK YOU!**

**Much love to all of you!**

**Sybille**

* * *

BONUS CHAPTER III

MEMORIES OF LOVE AND BEAUTY

The the engine's steady hum made her slowly doze off. Klaus had been asleep for the last hour, his face peaceful and relaxed, and as usual, Caroline couldn't help but inconspicuously peek at his features about once every minute. It wasn't often that she had the opportunity to do so – normally, it was the other way around, as Klaus didn't seem to need as much sleep as she did – so she silently enjoyed the few moments she could steal to just take in his lovely face without any disturbances. She remembered how he had said that despite their upcoming hunt for the boy and a method to kill the two warlocks, they would always make time to be happy, to escape and to forget about everything but each other. At first, she had assumed he had just said that to placate her, but over the last couple of months, she had found that he had kept his word. He went out of his way to accommodate their alone time, however keen he was on advancing the research. When they had returned from Bouvet, he had first arranged to purchase Valhalla and then hired a small crew to sail her to Honolulu where she would be anchoring for the time being. They had taken the plane to Hawaii and spent two heavenly weeks in their new house on Oahu, and not once during those days had he said a word about what lay ahead of them, even though there were those brief moments she had caught him staring out at the ocean with a tense, pensive expression. And yet he had not called anyone to inquire about progress or discuss what they were going to do next. Instead, they had discovered Oahu together, made day trips to some of the other islands and enjoyed the house Caroline had instantly loved. It was bright, airy, built in Polynesian style with a lot of bamboo, dark woods and full of palm trees and other plants. She had taken to cooking, something she had virtually _never_ done before, and the fact that Klaus had actually eaten the… _interesting _results had shown her the true depth of his bravery. After that… well, he had come up with new restaurant suggestions about thrice a day, making them both burst into laughter every time. Oh, it had been paradise!

Their next trip had taken them back to New Orleans for Kol and Davina's wedding. Caroline suppressed a happy sigh at the memory.

* * *

_"So, is the future Mrs. Mikaelson ready for the yoke of marriage?" Caroline squealed at the sight of Davina who had just hurried down the stairs to greet them. Despite a little blush, the witch was nonetheless grinning._

_"Of course, but… oh God, I'm so glad that you're finally here! I have the first dress fitting today and Silv is out of town, I have no idea what shoes go best with it, how to wear my hair… help!" Giggling, the women hugged each other warmly, and Caroline held Davina away at arm's length to get a good look at her. The brunette was absolutely radiant, and although it had been the witch who was mainly responsible for Kol's growing up, there were changes to be found in her, too. A lightness that hadn't been there before, and a new confidence she was oozing from every pore that couldn't be solely attributed to the fact that she was now the most powerful witch on the planet, though still in formation. Caroline felt very much reminded of herself, of the way being with Klaus had altered her for the better. Well, the neurotic, insecure teenager did still make the occasional appearance, but all in all, she felt a serenity and a sense of self-assurance that she had never expected of herself. It had all been hidden somewhere inside her, of course, but he had been the one to encourage her to find it, and Caroline assumed it was just the same with Davina and Kol._

_The witch was now turning towards Klaus, a shyness on her face Caroline found very endearing. "Klaus, I… thank you for agreeing to give me away. It means very much to me. And to Kol, not that he would ever admit to it."_

_"It will be my absolute pleasure, sister," Klaus smiled and took her hand to bow over it, making Caroline swoon the way she always did when any of the Mikaelson brothers got into I-learned-my-manners-when-they-were-first-invented mode. "Where is that obnoxious little brother of mine, if I may ask?"_

_Giving a light shrug, Davina raised a brow and broke into another grin. "Try Remy's. Ever since the werewolves have come to see reason, things have been relatively calm, but Kol likes to make a daily appearance in public. Although if you ask me, I think it's more about escaping the eternal wedding talk. Oh, and Elijah and Silv should hopefully be back tonight."_

_"Where did they go?" Klaus asked, frowning. Apparently, Elijah hadn't let him in on his travel plans._

_"Mexico, but they didn't say where exactly. It was a very spontaneous trip, they left yesterday morning after Elijah received a phone call. Probably something about the warlocks."_

_"Did you make any progress with that?"_

_The witch inclined her head. "Not overly much. I have contacted Ralph in the Eternal Realm – you know that once you have managed to contact someone for the first time, it is easier to locate them again – and asked him to attempt to find out where Lau is. He and Henrik have set out a few days ago, and we have agreed that I shall give them a couple of weeks before calling on them again. As you are aware, there is no blood between Ralph and Lau which is why they will have to do it the old-fashioned way – travel and ask around. Let's just hope he didn't end up in Padma, although something tells me he did not. Incidentally, I have also spoken to Vicq Samedi and told him the whole story, asking him to do some research on how to end the warlocks. He did agree to help and said that unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of the Old Witches seem to have gone directly to Padma, so they cannot be questioned, but he had a few ideas on who else to speak to."_

_Caroline had observed how her husband's features had briefly softened at the mention of his little brother, and she had to smile at the thought of just another Mikaelson sibling playing Indiana Jones, even if it was in the Eternal Realm of the Dead this time. The enthusiasm for any kind of quest or adventure seemed to run in the family, both Ralph's and Esther's side of it. Klaus turned towards her and pulled her into his arms, covering her lips with his and burying his hands in her hair for a delicious moment. When he released her, she clung to him for an instant longer, making him kiss her hair and close his eyes. "I will go and find Kol. We might be a while, but I do believe you ladies have enough planning to do to keep yourselves busy."_

_"You're escaping too, aren't you?" Caroline accused him with a malicious grin._

_His face a picture of innocence and mock outrage, Klaus put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "How could you _ever_ believe me to be that much of a coward?"_

_"Oh, good, then you can join us for the fitting, help us with the flowers, the accessories, the menu… oh, and the choice of _fonts!_" _

_Neither of them had seen him so much as move, but the rush of wind and the ghostly chuckle that came out of thin air told them he was gone. Giggling, they hugged each other once again, and Caroline took Davina's arm, steering her towards the kitchen. "Okay, now tell me what you have in mind, and let's get to work! At what time is your fitting?"_

* * *

_A couple of weeks later, everything was ready. As the wedding was to be a small and intimate family affair, preparations had been relatively simple, something that Caroline secretly regretted. Elena and Rebekah had arrived with the Salvatores a day after Silv had returned from Mexico, and ever since then, there had been no other topic than the wedding. They knew it was driving the men insane, but all of the women shared the sneaking suspicion that they were wildly exaggerating their annoyance. More than once, Caroline had caught both Klaus and Damon smiling indulgently at all the fuss when they thought no one was watching, and Kol would have crawled over broken glass to make Davina happy. For the sheer fun of it, Rebekah had asked her future sister-in-law to demand that he wear a red tux, just to see how far he would go to please his girl. The four women were beyond stunned and burst into hysterical laughter when he had just muttered "Fine," and stalked off to join his chuckling brothers in the study._

_He was of course not wearing a red tux today. All of the men donned black suits, and Caroline had had a hard time not tearing the fabric off Klaus and assaulting him the instant he had emerged from their room. God, he was always so breathtaking in a tux! Well, even more so when he took it off, but still… she remembered how she had seen him in formal wear for the first time, at his family's ball what seemed a lifetime ago. She would rather have died than admit to it, but Big Bad Hybrid Klaus, the scourge of Mystic Falls, had made her knees go weak for a split second when she had laid eyes on him. God, how hard she had fought all evening to ignore his dazzling looks… and his bewitching scent… Shaking off her daze at her husband's appearance, she began to organize the departures. Kol would be first to leave the house, together with Elijah, Damon, Stefan, Rebekah and Elena. Later, the bride would make her way to the small, family-run plantation about twenty miles southeast of the city that had been chosen as the wedding venue, accompanied by Klaus and her bridesmaids, Caroline and Silv. The latter acted as maid of honour. There had been a very particular connection between the women from the beginning, due to their similar roots as members of two of the ancient lines of witchcraft, and they had grown considerably closer ever since they had come to spend so much time together after everyone else had left New Orleans to travel the world. Davina had begun to consider Silv the older sister and mentor she had never had and so desperately wanted, and there were moments when Caroline wondered whether Silv saw a little bit of a daughter in the young witch. _

_She felt Klaus' eyes on her now as Davina descended the stairs, resplendent in her wedding gown and all but bursting with joy. Caroline knew he was asking himself whether she actually felt deprived of a big, lavish ceremony with family and friends, given their very private wedding on Aitutaki, and if she regretted the way they had tied the knot. How utterly silly! Yes, she loved parties and preparations and organizing festivities, but she wouldn't have changed a dot about her own nuptials. Without taking her eyes off Davina, she whispered, "It was perfect, Niklaus. It was all I could ever have asked for."_

_"Reading my mind now, are we?"_

_"I know you."_

_"That you do."_

_There was no more time to continue their conversation. Davina had arrived at the foot of the stairs, and Klaus stepped up to offer her his arm, giving her the very rare, heartwarming smile he reserved for those he considered his family. "You look beautiful, sister. One can only hope my insufferable little brother will a) not faint at your sight and b) know that he does most definitely not deserve you."_

_And Klaus was right. Davina looked incredible. The women had spent hours in her room this morning, and it had been so much fun getting her ready. Champagne had been flowing freely, and even Davina had taken a few sips to calm her fluttering nerves. But now she no longer seemed nervous at all. She was glowing with happiness and anticipation, contagiously so. Her dress was simple floor-length ivory satin, off the shoulder with long sleeves made of Belgian embroidery. When Caroline had first seen her in it, her eyes had positively moistened. She couldn't imagine any woman in history who looked more like a Disney fairy tale princess and less than a witch. Davina's long, shiny mahogany curls were loosely falling over her shoulders, and her face was alight with emotion. Caroline just couldn't help it – she cast a quick look at Klaus. Despite everything they were and had gone through, and the fact that she was certain_ _Klaus would never seriously consider anyone else, she could still feel those little moments of jealousy, of insecurity, and it reassured her immensely to see him completely at ease, polite and warm, but not smitten with the bride. _Yes, I get it, I'm an idiot!

_Silv came down the stairs behind Davina now, carrying the bouquet that consisted of cream coloured and very pale pink roses, handing it to the younger woman with a bright smile. Both she and Caroline were wearing matching floor-length halterneck gowns of anthracite silk, sleeveless with girdling waists. Klaus' earlier reaction at the sight of his wife had been to bring his lips to her ear and whisper, "You will never stop stunning me into speechlessness, will you, my intoxicating girl?" _And how can you still give me the freaking butterflies, my incredibly hot husband?

_They were just preparing to leave when Klaus suddenly halted and turned towards the bride. "I believe you are lacking something." The three women looked at him in astonishment when he produced a small etui, handing it to Davina. Caroline had to suppress a smile at the witch's dumbfounded expression when she opened the little box. "You could say this is a family heirloom," he explained as he took the necklace and swiftly fastened it around Davina's neck. "I will not go into any particulars of its provenance, but it has been with us for very many centuries, and it is my belief that now is the time for it to see the light of day again. Consider it a small wedding gift."_

_The witch touched the collier, consisting of a number of pavé set diamonds, spiraling around each other in rings of different sizes, looking like some sort of mysterious pagan symbol, all set within one large circle of even more diamonds. It was a gem fit for a new bride – and for a witch. Davina's eyes began to show a suspicious shimmer when she looked up at Klaus._

_"Thank you… _brother._ I don't really know what to say, this is… so beautiful, and I…"_

_"…will stop sniffling right now, because I will be extremely upset should you even remotely compromise the work of art I turned your face into," Silv cut in jokingly, beaming at Davina. "Come on, little sister, let's get you into the car."_

_Nodding and dabbing at her eyes, Davina whispered, "Thank you, Klaus."_

_"My pleasure. Shall we?"_

_While Silv busied herself trying to get Davina, the dress and the Rembrandt of makeups into the limo without any major accidents, Klaus took Caroline's hand. "Listen, my love, I do hope this finds your approval. I should probably have given it to you, like so many jewels we have collected over the years, but… for some reason I never felt inclined to. I believe it has something to do with not wanting to taint you with any items from my past. Everything I give you, I want to be something new, something unblemished. Something to make _our_ history, our own memories. So I hope you will forgive me, especially in view of the fact that it was actually Kol who stole that collier back in the fifteen hundreds, much to Elijah's disapproval, I must add. And he always had a particular fondness for it, so I believe it is a fitting wedding gift for his bride."_

_She looked at him incredulously. "You don't seriously believe that I am upset about you giving a wedding present to my new sister? Come on, Niklaus, you should really know better. Apart from that, I've always told you that no gem in the world could ever be remotely as precious to me as you are. You have given me your heart, your love, not to mention that amazing body of yours, and incidentally, a house on Oahu plus a couple of unspeakably beautiful blue diamonds." Moving into his arms, she chuckled and pulled him close, resting her cheek against his. "That was a very, very sweet wedding gift, my love."_

_"I am known to be the sweet and fluffy type, am I not?" he snickered, making her scoff. Giving her a loving smile, he pressed a soft kiss to the delicate skin under her earlobe. "Let us go."_

* * *

_Caroline and Silv had just walked down the makeshift aisle in the plantation's beautiful park and taken their places opposite Kol and Elijah, smiling at Rebekah, Elena, Stefan, Damon and Remy, when Davina stepped out of the weathered building on Klaus' arm. Kol's eyes seemed to bulge out of the sockets and his jaw dropped, making the women grin with delight at seeing the youngest Mikaelson brother truly loose his I'm-too-cool-for-my-own-good attitude. He all but drank in the sight of his soon-to-be-wife, and Caroline saw him mouth something that looked suspiciously like 'My God'. Elijah smiled and patted Kol's shoulder reassuringly, muttering to his younger sibling how three glasses of Scotch had apparently been too weak a dosis to calm his nerves. _

_She felt an incredible rush of pride at the sight of her Klaus walking up the aisle towards the large, moss-covered oak tree they were gathered under, the bride on his arm, giving Caroline a quick wink and a dimpled smile. She couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason why, but the role suited him somehow. Elijah would always be the calm, distinguished elder of the family, but Klaus had grown so much over the last couple of years, and she had the feeling that one day, he might even become something of a patriarch. Maybe he already was, to an extent, and it made her so happy for him. He had always wanted to be this – the loved and respected center of a family. Okay, he also wanted to be the feared master of the universe, but as long as he limited that ambition to those who did not qualify as family or friends, Caroline was perfectly fine with it. After all, Big Bad Hybrid Klaus was still a major hottie._

_Upon reaching Kol, Klaus took Davina's hand and with a formal kiss to her cheek, placed it into Kol's. Gazing intently at his brother, he said, "I still have a few daggers handy, Kol, and I am not above using them if you ever think about not treating my new sister exactly the way she deserves." The groom wasn't even listening, it would seem, judging by the way he didn't take his gaze off Davina and just grumbled "Uh-huh." Klaus rolled his eyes but couldn't help a grin when he took his place next to Elijah. _

_The minister who had been compelled to officiate the wedding, no questions asked, no memories kept, cleared his throat and began to speak. Davina and Kol were simply staring at each other, oblivious to everything that was going on around them. When the minister cleared his throat again and softly reminded them that they might want to be remotely present for the upcoming part, he was actually smiling. Caroline felt a big lump in her throat and the butterflies go crazy when Klaus' eyes found hers during the vows… and his hand inconspicuously covered his heart. She stared back at him, placing a hand over her own heart and feeling her eyes fill with tears. God, she was a sentimental wimp! All that crying! _And? So what, Caroline Mikaelson? It's a wedding, for crying out loud! You're supposed to be sentimental!

_'I adore you,' she mouthed, her eyes shining when she returned her husband's gaze, 'always and forever.'_

_His face turned serious and all of a sudden, she saw his eyes close and his hand move to his Signum. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something. And a few seconds later, she understood what it was. _

_She _felt_ his fingers on her neck! _

_It was all she could do not to gasp and stumble backwards. How was this possible? He was standing a good twelve feet away! It was definitely not a hallucination, she felt him touching her! Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at her husband with an expression of complete bewilderment. Very slowly, his eyes opened, focusing on her nonplussed face. With a tender smile, he nodded, 'Later,' before returning his attention to the minister._

_The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur, filled with thoughts and questions about what had just happened, but the moment Kol was asked to kiss his bride, Caroline's mind focused on the newlyweds again, and she smiled broadly at the passionate kiss that made the men chuckle and the women sigh. Not that any of them could complain about a lack of passion in their own relationships, but this was just something to swoon over. _

_Later that night, when celebrations at Remy's were in full swing, Caroline finally managed to grab Klaus and pull him outside. She had been burning to ask him about what had happened earlier, and she had tried a couple of times, but there had been no opportunity without anyone overhearing. The instant the door had closed behind them, Klaus pushed her against it, his hands to both sides of her head._

_"Admit it, Caroline, you are just wearing this to embarrass me in front of everyone," he muttered hoarsely. When she opened her mouth to protest, he grabbed her hand and guided it to his crotch, making her gasp at feeling his iron-hard cock beneath the thin fabric of his trousers. "Do you seriously believe this has gone unnoticed?" he chuckled as he slipped one strap off her shoulder. "Gods, have I ever told you how incredibly tempting even your shoulders are?" Before she could say a word, his lips were on her, breathing open-mouthed kisses onto her skin, all the way to her neck and back to her shoulder. Caroline sagged against the door, not bothering to stop the small moans from escaping. She almost didn't notice how her own hands were frantically pulling at his shirt, desperate to feel the warmth and the silken smoothness of his skin. Her head sank back when she finally ran her fingers over his shoulder blades, along his spine and down to the hem of his pants. With one swift move, her hands were inside his trousers, cupping his butt and squeezing hard, pulling him against her with all her might. His groan was loud and urgent, igniting a desire so desperate inside her that it felt like they hadn't made love in weeks. It was crazy, as usual, but who cared? _

_Without a warning, he pulled her away from the door, scooping her up and flashing off. A few seconds later, they were in an even shabbier alley, full of crates, rotting barrels and other undefinable junk. Klaus smashed her into a fire escape, at the same time undoing his zipper. "Hold on to the ladder," he commanded in a hiss, and Caroline grabbed a bar high above her head while his hands were on her thighs, shimmying up her dress… and finding her naked underneath. He inhaled sharply before his eyes burned into hers. "How do you want me, Caroline? Tell me fast."_

_Biting her lip, she took the challenge. "I want you hard. Loud. Fuck me, and fuck me so that everyone can hear."_

_His eyes turned almost black with desire. "As you wish."_

_She was already hot and wet when his cock filled her to the hilt. "And talk to me," she hissed, and her words turned into a moan as he grabbed her, his hands on the back of her knees, bending her legs to both sides of her, pressing her into the fire escape and opening her up so wide for him. His eyes were glued to their joint bodies, and seeing him watch his hard length glide in and out of her almost drove her mad._

_"You want me to talk?" His words were blurred by the loud moans he wasn't able to suppress. "To tell how it makes me want to scream with pleasure when I feel you all wet and burning with heat around me? How nothing in the world can make me unravel like fucking you senseless? How I enjoy seeing you completely at my mercy, sensing you shiver every time I slam into you like… this?"_

_Caroline cried out when he filled her once more, feeling the crazy desire to have him throw her into the dirty crates, tear her dress apart and just fuckfuckfuck the hell out of her. "More," she demanded, her voice breaking, "give me more! God, how I _need _you!" She had barely finished the sentence when she was brutally pulled from the ladder. The next thing she knew was that he had shoved her onto a barrel, her feet on the ground, her torso on the wooden cask. Trying to catch her breath, she expected him to continue his oh-so-welcome assault, but when he pushed her dress over her hips, she suddenly felt his mouth on her backside. _Oooh!_ His hands were everywhere, and so was his devilish tongue._

_"So. Delicious," Klaus groaned between licks, and Caroline couldn't help but shamelessly move her butt to feel him on each and every inch of her skin… and… her folds… her… oh, it was… he was… A desperate sound of protest escaped her when his mouth was suddenly gone, but it died in her throat at feeling him at her entrance. Leaning against her, he was running the tip of his cock over her clit, again and again, until she was no more than a whimpering mess. "Beg me," he demanded, two words that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside. "Beg me, my Caroline."_

_She knew he loved to hear her beg, just as she adored it when he did. He was beyond sexy when he begged… was it the same feeling for him, hearing her? Making a sensuous move against his cock, she heard him give a throaty, dark moan. "Please, Niklaus. Don't stop! I want you so badly, it's killing me… _please_!"_

_"Please what?" his silken voice sounded close to her ear, and Caroline shuddered at the divine friction of his cock against her throbbing sex._

_"Oh, will you just fuck me already?" she exclaimed impatiently, close to despair. "I need you inside me again this instant, or I'll go mad!"_

_"And we would not want that, would we?" They groaned in unison when he slid into her, very slowly, until she surrounded him completely. For one moment, they were perfectly still, savouring each other, before his voice invaded her senses again. "You might want to hold on, my wonderfully brazen love," he whispered, and it was all Caroline could do to obey his command before he truly turned into Big Bad Hybrid Klaus. His cock filled her, left her, filled her, and she took him in with everything she had. They were so attuned to one another, their rhythm all but perfect, and even in a dirty, dark little alley like this one, and with all the brutal rawness of their mating, there was something pure about it. It was a hot, fast ride through their own personal paradise, and neither of them wanted it to end. They both felt the other holding back, desperately trying to prolong their stay in heaven. _

_"Caroline," Klaus' voice was barely audible through his sensual moans, "I need you to come with me, and I cannot wait much longer."_

_"Yes," she whispered, "yes! Take me with you!"_

_With a primal growl, he began to increase his speed, the sound of flesh against flesh echoing from the alley walls. Caroline was beginning to see stars behind her eyes when his expert fingers were at her sex, effortlessly gliding over her clit and making her slump against the barrel. She felt her walls tighten around him, and she knew she was ready. Beyond ready._

_"Now… oh Gods, now," he cried out, his voice almost unrecognizable. "Please!"_

_His final thrust was their undoing. When he pounded into her, his hands moved to her thighs, pushing her legs further apart and trapping her against the barrel. She could no longer move, and her orgasm all but erupted around him, making her collapse on the wooden cask with his name on her lips, feeling him shudder through his own release and bursting with emotion at the sound of his dark growl._

_"My beautiful woman… mine. Mine. Mine."_

_The second he returned to a basic level of coherency, he pulled her from the barrel and against his granite chest, encircling her with his arms and covering her face with gentle, soft kisses. With a sigh that was simple, unadulterated bliss, she wrapped herself around him and closed her eyes at his tender ministrations. They stood in the middle of the alley, arms around each other, and gave themselves over to each other's love._

_It wasn't until much later that Klaus began to chuckle. Pulling back, he cradled her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes. "You know, my sweet little one, I do love you with all my heart, not to mention my soul, and I do so reverently and respectfully, but Gods, how I _adore_ it when you behave like a dockside hussy!"_

_They broke into laughter, and Caroline gave him a tender kiss. "I'll make a point of doing that more often."_

_"That would relieve you of having to buy me any birthday presents ever again," he snickered, giving her butt a light pinch. "Much as I hate to say it, but I believe we will need to head back, even though I would love nothing more than to take you home and spend a few more hours in your… rather dirty arms."_

_With a shriek, Caroline looked down at herself. Her arms were indeed full of dark smears – probably the fire escape – her dress was crumpled and she seemed to have lost a shoe. "Gah! Where's my shoe? And I can't possibly return to Remy's like this, and…"_

_"Please refrain from panicking, esteemed passengers, as we have lifeboats enough for everyone," Klaus grinned. He ducked to retrieve her shoe that had mysteriously made its way to the top of the barrel. _Huh?_ Then he pressed a loving kiss to her temple. "Wait here, I will be right back." There was a gust of wind, and he was gone. Shaking her head, Caroline gazed at her dress. There was nothing to be done about it, not right now, but she had to at least try to rub the dirt off her arms. Failing miserably, she gave a frustrated sigh just as Klaus returned, holding something out to her. It was a damp towel, moistened with warm water. _

_"Have I told you yet today that you are perfect?" she smiled, taking the cloth and dabbing at her arms._

_"Oh please," he muttered, embarrassed, and took the towel from her hand. "Here, let me."_

_Very gently, he tended to her arms, never failing to breathe featherlight kisses on each spot he had cleaned. Caroline closed her eyes and shook her head. "I have really run out of words to tell you just how much I love you, Niklaus." When there was silence, she opened her eyes to see a shadow cross his face. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled._

_Forcing a smile, he answered, "Nothing."_

_"Niklaus."_

_He ran a hand through his hair and cupped her cheek. "Your love has become so much of a basic necessity for me, Caroline. Whilst this is not news, there are still moments when I cannot fathom how radically my life has changed because of you, thanks to you, and how desperately I wish never to return to the loneliness that has haunted me for so long."_

_"You won't have to," she whispered, shaken by how he, too, still had doubts from time to time. "You are no longer alone. There is one person to whom you mean everything and who could never live without you anymore. Someone to whom your opinions matter the very most and who can't wait to hear them, whatever the topic and however, ahm, _radical _your views may be at times. Someone who goes to sleep every night unable to understand how she could have been lucky enough to get to keep you forever. At least I hope I will. Look at me, Niklaus. I am here, at your side. Your lonely times are over for good, and they will never return. Never."_

_Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes. "By the Gods, I love you, Caroline. I do not think you have any idea of the true extent of my feelings for you." _

_"Why don't you take me home and show me?" Then she remembered something. "After you explain to me why I was able to feel your touch while you were standing on the opposite side of the aisle."_

_Klaus offered her his arm and waited until she had smoothed her dress as much as humanly possible. They walked out of the alley and down a dusky street, and she heard Klaus take a deep breath. "Well, my darling, it would seem that our warlock with the Four Faces was right after all. I do have some limited amount of magic. I mentioned it to Davina upon our arrival in New Orleans, and she has given me some very simple excercises in order to awaken this dormant capability. It is what the young witches and warlocks practice when they are initiated – making small objects fly, light candles and the like. One of the excercises is about making someone else feel your hands without actually touching them, comparable to what the Voodoo cult does with these little puppets. And that is what I did to you today, my Caroline."_

_She was silent for a very long while. "When were you planning on telling me about this, Niklaus?" she demanded, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. He had shared this secret with Davina, but not with her? _

_"I am telling you now. And will you please not look at me like that? This has nothing to do with keeping secrets from you. I wanted to explore the possibilities before I told anyone. And I did not want you to know in case I failed."_

_"Listen, Superman, I don't care if there is something you can't do. Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind if you were a little less accomplished. But what I do care about is that you kept something this important from me, and apparently, it wouldn't have bothered you if Davina had seen you fail."_

_Klaus rolled his eyes, and his tone was a little sharper now. "She is not the woman I love, Caroline, so you are right, it would not have bothered me. I would, however, never_ _want _you_ to see me fail, in anything."_

_Caroline halted and pushed her hands into her hips as she glared at him, her eyes alight with fury. "You can't be serious! I'm your wife, dammit, and I'm supposed to share everything with you – your victories _and_ your defeats! What do you want me to see in you? Some uber-perfect superhero?"_

_He ran a hand through his tousled hair and breathed deeply. She could see how the fight went out of him, and however mad she was, she just couldn't stop her heart from going out to him when he looked like this… all vulnerable and out of his depth. His eyes met hers, and he raised his hands in defeat. "I am sorry, my love. I am. But do show me one man who does not want to be exactly that in the eyes of the woman he worships."_

And right there he sinks your battleship, Caroline Mikaelson!

_"And do show me one woman who would think less of the man she adores just because he can't make a feather fly," she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. "You are just impossible, Niklaus Mikaelson. And please stop the wounded-puppy look, or I will start crying." She was glad to hear him give a quiet chuckle and sighed. "So you do have magic."_

_Nodding, he took one hesitant step towards her. "As I said, it is very limited, but it is there."_

_"Show me again," she demanded, gesturing towards his hands. He moved away from her, bringing a few feet of distance between them, and closed his eyes, a look of deep concentration settling on his beautiful face. Very slowly, his hand rose, and he ran his knuckles across his own cheek. Caroline's breath stopped when she felt it. His hand was brushing her face, very gently and tenderly, mirroring his movements a few steps further down the pavement. It felt… magical. She couldn't think of another word as she closed her own eyes, focusing on nothing but the incredible sensation on her skin. They stood like this for a long time, until she felt his thumb trace her lower lip, stirring her senses and making her give a subdued moan._

_"Niklaus," she whispered, completely mesmerized, "don't you see? Everything is possible. Everything. For you and me."_

_In the very next instant, she was in his arms, for real this time, and he held her close, his cheek against her hair. "I do not need everything. I only need you to be at my side, to love me, to take care of me. To let me love you. Nothing else."_

Ugh. Melt. Yes, butterflies, I know you guys have ADHD!

_"Take me home. I want to love you, Niklaus. Slowly and deeply. For hours."_

_She heard his breath hitch and felt him almost crush her to him. "I apologize, my Caroline, for not having told you. Do you not think I rather deserve a punishment than hours with you in heaven?"_

_"You do. But when has life ever been fair?"_

* * *

That had been four days ago, and now they were on their way to Paris, to try and find Louis Van Tale. Paris! Klaus had vowed that despite the business at hand, they would take their time to explore the city. He had told her so many incredible stories about the French capital, and with such an unmistakeable excitement in his voice and eyes that Caroline's heart had been overflowing with her love for adventurous Klaus who had such a talent for painting everything in the most vivid colours. Elijah had told her once that those were the moments when his younger brother most resembled the man he had been during his human days, and she could barely contain her excitement at seeing more of that man once they discovered Paris together.

She had been watching The Avengers on the entertainment system earlier, still incredulous at how uncannily Tom Hiddleston's Loki looked like Lau Van Tale. For a split second, she had wondered whether the actor was actually related to the warlock. Now wouldn't _that_ be hilarious? When she had leaned over her backrest and asked that question of Silv and Elijah who were seated in the row behind them, Silv had giggled approvingly and the men had rolled their eyes with a certain air of despair. _"What do they all see in that Hiddleston fellow?" _Elijah had demanded of Klaus who had just shrugged and raised his hands. _"Well, he does look like Lau, and if memory serves, Lau had to virtually fight off the ladies during his lifetime. With one exception, that is. Must be something about the cheekbones. Or the hair."_ He had turned to Caroline with a boyish, dimpled grin. _"Do you want me to grow my hair, then?" _She knew he had expected her to give an appalled squeal, but she had just smiled beatifically and said, _"Quite honestly, yes. I'd love to see you with long hair!"_ Elijah had all but spilled his drink over his faultlessly tailored trousers at the sight of Klaus' dumbstruck expression – which had lasted for all of two seconds. _"As always, your wish is my command, my lovely lady!" _he had chuckled and returned to his book without any further comment.

And she knew that neither of them would yield… not until his hair had reached at least shoulder-length. _I bet he looks beyond hot with long hair. God, I will have to make him wear a pirate shirt, get Caligula, and he will look like one of those guys on the romance novel covers! Fabio Mikaelson!_

It took them another five hours and three more Hiddleston-free movies to land at Charles de Gaulle Airport, which Caroline found somewhat disappointing. It was a very nondescript, aged building. What was interesting was its circular shape, but other than that, she had expected something different. Klaus explained that had they travelled on Air France, they would have arrived in a somewhat more modern terminal, but as it was, the French national carrier's competition had been confined to the old, run-down building. Outside, a driver was waiting beside a large black Mercedes sedan with tinted windows, and off they drove into the heavy Parisian morning traffic. It took them over an hour to reach their hotel, and Caroline's almost tripped over her own feet when they finally did.

_Fouquet's Barrière? The hotel I chose for the dream? _That_ dream?_

Klaus' arms wound around her waist from behind, and she shivered at the feeling of his soft breath at her ear. "The Presidential Suite, my darling. I cannot wait to make love to you in that bed for real."

"You didn't forget," she breathed, covering his arms with hers and closing her eyes, leaning into his embrace and sighing deeply at the sensation of his lips on her hair.

"How could I ever? Caroline, do you have any idea of how often I have replayed this dream in my mind? How much it meant to me?"

"And to me," she whispered. "I only wish I could give you more… everything!"

His grip around her tightened, and she felt him bury his face in her neck. "What do I need to do to make you see that _you_ are everything to me? My beautiful, lovely girl, will you please stop doubting?"

She was just about to reply when Silv quietly cleared her throat and they had to leave their little bubble.

* * *

Paris was a revelation. With everything she saw, with every yard she walked, Caroline fell deeper in love with the old city. It wasn't the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame or the Champs-Elysées, even though all of that had its very own charm. It were the quaint little streets hidden in the Marais district, the Canal Saint-Martin, the Rue Montorgueil off the Centre Pompidou, the cemetery of Père-Lachaise she had once seen in her dreams. It was the Île Saint-Louis in the middle of the Seine, which she knew to be one of Klaus' favourite spots and where they huddled together on "his" little bench and kissed until darkness fell, before indulging in what Klaus claimed was the best ice cream on the planet at a place called Berthillon. Upon her first spoon of Salted Butter Caramel, Caroline was more than inclined to agree with him – it was probably the most decadent thing she had ever eaten. But things turned even more decadent when the four of them dined at La Tour d'Argent in the Quartier Latin, a very traditional, ridiculously expensive place that had been originally founded in 1582 and had, in its prime, even hosted Louis XIV and Alexander II, the Russian czar. The house specialty was a dish called 'Canard Tour d'Argent', pressed duck, and while she ate with her eyes closed at the otherworldly taste, Caroline wondered idly whether she would ever stop marveling at all the tastes, sounds and sights the planet had to offer.

They had all silently agreed to postpone their search for Louis Van Tale for a few days and just spend some time enjoying Paris, a last respite before they had to truly immerse themselves in the tasks that lay ahead of them.

Klaus was in his element playing the tour guide and showing Caroline everything he had grown to love about the city over the course of the centuries. One night, after they had visited the Place de la Bastille, he had given her a dream about what Paris and its people had looked like before the attack on and subsequent destruction of the prison fortress. He had also taken her to Versailles in that dream, the Versailles of Louis, and he had walked her through different centuries of Paris – not concealing the less appealing sides of it. When she woke in the morning, Caroline was still reeling from the poverty she had seen in her dreams, from the dismal living conditions in earlier times, and from the stark contrasts between the rich and the poor. When she asked Klaus how people had managed to actually lead a life, to have hopes and dreams, he inclined his head.

"Hopes and dreams were all they had. And religion, in most cases. We will travel the world, Caroline, and you will discover that this kind of life exists today, in our modern times, just as it existed back then. The slums in Calcutta, Lagos, Monrovia or other parts of the Earth are almost as desolate as what I have shown you in your dream, if not worse. Mankind is astonishingly adaptable, my love. There is very little a human cannot bear and get used to, especially when born into those circumstances and never having known otherwise."

She knew he was right, but the pictures had still touched her deeply, and she wasn't sure she wanted to see the real-life examples Klaus had spoken of. "Can we go and see something beautiful today?" she asked, pulling him close and hiding in his arms, feeling soothed when he encaged her in his embrace and nudged her head to the curve of his shoulder.

"We will. Get dressed, then, otherwise I will be very much tempted not to leave the room at all. And we would not want that, would we?"

Caroline heard the mischief in his voice, and she knew he was trying to distract her from her gloominess. And… ah… she _was_ distracted. "God forbid!" she gasped in mock outrage, letting her hand glide over his crotch as she walked off towards the bathroom. She didn't get very far before she was lifted off the ground and landed on the mattress, squealing delightedly when he was suddenly on top of her. His kiss was soft and loving, and his hands caressed her face with feather-light strokes.

"I am so sorry, my love. I did not want to upset you like this. I promise that you shall see nothing but beauty for the remainder of the day."

Her eyes were shining when they roamed his face. "I am already looking at it right now."

"You are delusional, Mrs. Mikaelson. Very much so. I believe I will have to do something about your hallucinations."

She giggled and planted a searing kiss on his lips, making him gasp. "And what is it that you plan to do about them?" she demanded, her stomach knotting in anticipation. In a lightning-fast move, Klaus had her arms pinned above her head.

"I am planning on letting my mouth make love to you until you forget everything but my lips, my tongue and my teeth. That will exorcize the hallucinations."

"Niklaus," she groaned when he slid down and buried his head between her legs, his expert tongue making her convulse and throw her head from one side to the other. She heard him whisper her name against her sex, and her hips bucked from the bed to meet his unrelenting mouth. A few moments later she came, powerfully and very sweetly, almost falling apart when she heard his ecstatic moans while he absorbed her orgasm.

"I love you," she whispered, still trapped in her release and crying out when she felt him enter her. "I love you."

He moved, very intimately and oh-so-slowly, his eyes on hers as his hips began to circle against her… until he suddenly stopped and took her hand, placing it on his heart. His eyes closed, and that strange look of deep concentration settled on his face, the one she had seen on Kol's wedding day before he…

"My God!"

It was almost a scream, but she couldn't stop herself. There had been… a heartbeat. A single, isolated heartbeat inside his chest. She stared at him, shaking her head in utter disbelief as his eyes opened again and rested on hers, so tenderly.

"No," he answered her unspoken question, "it did not really beat. It was magic. A little piece of magic for you, my beautiful girl. Another way of telling you just how much I love you."

Caroline closed her eyes in disbelief and sank back, pulling Klaus with her and wrapping herself around him as he continued his gentle, intense worshipping of her. How could she ever be enough for this incredible man? How could she ever return even a fraction of everything he gave her?

* * *

Klaus and Elijah were walking across the minuscule cemetery of Saint-Séverin. The comparably small gothic church with its adjacent graveyard, dating back to the thirteenth century, was located in the very center of Paris, right next to the busy Rue Saint-Jacques and only a stone's throw away from Notre Dame, yet it seemed to remain blissfully undiscovered by mass tourism. The church had a high-ceilinged nave, a wide choir and beautifully stained windows, but it was the dark, sombre side aisles that gave it its particular appeal. On a hot summer's day, the thick stone walls kept the heat outside, and more than one visitor who had initially entered the house of worship for nothing but a brief respite from the suffocating, thick and humid air of a typical Parisian summer had ended up falling for the old gothic building and its shadowy medieval charm. For a moment, Klaus debated whether "medieval charm" could be considered an oxymoron, given the fact that very few things about the Middle Ages had actually been charming. Not in the eye of a human, at least.

They had not stayed inside the church for long this time. After a couple of minutes, Klaus had urged his older brother to step into the courtyard that led to the tiny cemetery. He had wanted to speak with Elijah in private for weeks, but with the family gathered around them at all times and everything that had been going on, it had been difficult, so when Caroline and Silv had announced this morning that they were planning on raiding the major fashion houses, Klaus had seized the opportunity and dragged his brother to Saint-Séverin.

With a wistful smile, Elijah gestured towards the church building. "I recall when this was still under construction. Do you remember the tavern on the opposite bank of the river? The one that served wild boar with chestnuts?" Klaus nodded silently. It was strange… all the monumental events they had witnessed over the centuries, and here they were, recalling a little tavern for nothing but the food it served. No, he had to correct himself – he also remembered the wench who had served the meals. One of the few women all three Mikaelson brothers had actually shared. Gods, it did not only seem like another lifetime, it _was._ He had been almost as uncontrolled as Kol during those days, and there were times when he was in awe of how the population of Paris had managed to recover from their killing sprees. "To be perfectly honest, sometimes I find the world's development frightening," Elijah mused now. "When this church was built, we were already two hundred years old, but not in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what the city surrounding it would turn into, could we?"

"Probably not," Klaus replied absently, pulling a leave from the tree they were walking under. He felt Elijah's probing gaze on him and heard his sibling sigh.

"Brother, do share your worries with me, will you? We have not truly spoken in a long while, and I can sense your distress. So do tell me what it is that bothers you. The warlocks?"

Tearing the leaf in two, Klaus lifted his face to the hazy skies and closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to his brother. What he saw on Elijah's face was genuine concern… and warmth. He was still not entirely used to it, but it warmed his heart. And this time, he allowed it to. His mask of serenity crumbled, and he let his guard down.

"Elijah, I have a problem, and I do not know how to handle it without breaking Caroline's heart."

They had reached a weathered bench, hidden in the very back of the cemetery, and the older Mikaelson gestured towards it. "Let us sit down, shall we?" When they were seated, Elijah crossed his legs and gazed at his younger brother intently. "What could you ever do to break Caroline's heart, Niklaus? I am relatively certain it is no other woman we are talking about, is it?"

"Of course not," Klaus replied, appalled. "I could not even bear to think about touching another woman. Nor would I ever want to again."

"Sounds familiar," Elijah smiled. "What is it, then?"

Klaus leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs, and ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Caroline wants to find a means to give me a child," he whispered.

There was a long silence before Elijah took a deep breath. When he spoke, there was a strain to his voice. "That is a problem indeed. May I assume from your current unease that you are not overly enthusiastic about the entire idea?"

"You assume correctly. Caroline seems to believe that the Signum might be the key to overcome the natural barriers, and she is thoroughly convinced that I am missing something in my life. Elijah, I am not! For the first time in my existence, I am completely and utterly content – disregarding the fact that we will need to put an end to two megalomaniac warlocks – and I do not want to change an iota in my life. I love this woman beyond reason, and the last thing I would ever want to do is to hurt her, but I do not know how to tell her that I don't _want_ a child. Not to mention the fact that I would be a terrible father, but that is not the principal issue. The principal issue is that I have given this a great amount of thought ever since she first mentioned it, and I truly do not want this. We all know I am a bloody ego-monster, and this provides us with further proof – I want her to myself, all to myself, I do not want to share her. With anyone. It is who I am." His voice had risen, and he knew Elijah could hear the despair in his tone. "Caroline is dead set on finding a way, and I am entirely helpless. What do I say to her, Elijah? How can I lessen the blow? I have no idea, and by the Gods, I do not want to cause this wonderful girl so much as a second of pain!"

Nodding, Elijah put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Give me a moment to consider, will you?"

"Of course."

They fell silent, both lost in their own musings. Klaus had never spoken to Caroline of it, but he _had_ thought about what she had said, very often and very extensively. The day he had finally come to the conclusion that he truly and honestly did not want a child, whether it be possible or not, he had not been able to sleep. He had watched Caroline's beautiful face all night, cradling her in his arms, caressing her hair and kissing her eyes. The way she had sighed each time he touched her, the way she had wormed herself deeper into his arms in her sleep had almost made him cry that night. He did not want her sad, anxious or hurt, not even for a moment, and the thought of being the very one to _cause _that pain was all but unbearable to him. But he needed to tell her now, before she began to truly immerse herself in finding out whether there was a chance. He could not imagine any circumstances, but if the last few months had taught him anything, it was that there seemed to be loopholes for everything.

"You are of course aware that you will need to speak to her," Elijah stated after a while, breaking the companionable silence.

"I am. But what do I say, Lijah?" He saw his older brother smile at the use of his nickname, knowing it would convey to him that Klaus was really out of his depth and in desperate need of advice. Elijah turned to him fully now, his arm resting on the back of the bench.

"First of all, you need to bear one thing in mind. Caroline is barely twenty years of age. That is _very_ young, and as you are well aware, her human instincts are still hovering right underneath the surface. One of these instincts is to procreate once you have found a mate – and I do apologize for making this sound so clinical, I know it is about much more than that – so this specific instinct is kicking in now. It is reinforced by Caroline's natural disposition. She is caring in the extreme, and even more so when it comes to you, so it is only normal for her to want to give you everything in her power. The combination of these factors make for a very compelling motivation. Furthermore, Caroline likes to be needed, and who could need her more than a child?"

Swallowing, Klaus lowered his head. His voice was barely audible as he admitted his greatest weakness to his brother. "I do."

Elijah nodded. "I know that. But tell me this – do you believe she wants _a_ child or _your _child?"

"Is not that one and the same?"

"It is not. If Caroline is determined to have a child because this is what she herself wants with all her heart, more than anything, then the two of you do indeed have a very difficult situation on your hands. If, as I suspect, this is about _you_, Niklaus, about giving you what she believes you need, it would make things much easier for both of you. Now, do tell me – have you observed any heightened interest or stronger reactions in Caroline when it comes to children she encounters on the streets?"

Letting his head drop back, Klaus crossed his arms over his chest and pondered his brother's question. "No, it does not seem to me that she is increasingly eager to hug them or anything of the sort. In general, she squeals louder at the sight of dogs than she does at the sight of babies."

They both had to chuckle at that, and Elijah went on. "That does sound encouraging. But still, you must not make the mistake of not taking her wishes seriously, and I am glad that you came to me, as it shows that you are indeed not making said mistake. By the Gods, you have truly grown up, brother."

Klaus tried to hide his embarrassment. Yes, in many aspects, he had indeed matured over the last two years. But there were just as many other things that still made him react like the hot-tempered, impulsive Original vampire he had been for a millennium. A few weeks ago, back in New Orleans, they had all been out for dinner, and one of the waiters had all but undressed Caroline with his eyes, all night long, winking at her when he thought Klaus was not watching, and hovering near her whenever he could. He had even touched her a couple of times while serving or clearing dishes, and Klaus had noticed how Caroline had inconspicuously recoiled from the touch, although she had made a great effort not to show it. She knew what that would have meant for the waiter. And it had been all Klaus could do not to fly across the table and behead the youth right then and there. A better man would have taken his wife home, made passionate love to her all night and just scoffed at the poor human who would never stand a chance. Well, he _had_ taken Caroline home, and their lovemaking had been exhilarating, highly erotic and utterly satisfying, leaving him basking in the beautiful afterglow that always made him feel the happiest dead man alive. But it had not quelled his desire to teach the audacious waiter a lesson, and so he had left the house with Kol late the next evening, telling Caroline he would accompany the young'un to a meeting with Sophie Devereaux. When they had flashed off, Kol had gazed at his older brother questioningly, but Klaus had only shaken his head. The restaurant was just closing, and he had not had to wait long. The waiter had stepped out of the back door, a burning cigarette in his hand, and stopped dead at the sight of the two vampires and the murderous rage on Klaus' face. He had unceremoniously slammed the boy into the nearest wall and fed on him. There were many ways to feed on a human, most of them relatively painless for the victim, but some of them left them in excruciating agony. He had drained the boy in the cruelest way possible, only stopping when he felt the young man on the brink of death. _"This is what happens when you touch what is mine, lad. Fair warning. You so much as look at my wife again, and you will die so slowly and painfully it will haunt you even in death. Is that understood? Good. Now, you will not remember any of this, and you will never touch another man's wife again." _When they had left the back alley, Kol, who had not seemed the least bit surprised or judgmental, had given him a curious glance and asked him why the waiter had upset him to such an extreme, knowing that Caroline would never so much as think of someone else. And Klaus had not had an answer. It had been the first time in a very long while that his old, impulsive self had taken over, and he was not certain whether he would ever be able to completely shed what he had been for so long. Which was why he thought of Elijah's compliment as embarrassingly unjustified.

"Anyway," his older sibling went on now, "you will need to tell Caroline very openly and clearly that you do not _want_ any offspring, even if it was possible. If you tell her you believe yourself to be a bad father it will have the contrary effect of her wanting to prove you wrong. I do incidentally believe that you _are_ wrong on this account, but that is beside the point. Explain it to her the way you explained it to me – that you are very much afraid of hurting her, but that you believe she is entitled to the truth. And that you will go to any length to show her she is and will forever be everything you need. You might want to leave out the ego-monster part, for I think Caroline knows that already." He winked, but then he put another hand on Klaus' shoulder. "I can see you are very uneasy, young'un. Would it help if I asked Silv to inconspicuously test the waters? I would do it myself, but I am relatively certain that this is the sort of conversation Caroline would prefer to have with a woman."

For a moment, Klaus was tempted to decline. He did not want to go behind Caroline's back or have anyone other than Elijah in the know about this, but his older brother was right. Caroline needed someone to talk to about her wishes, someone who was not _him _and who could give her advice_,_ and he could indeed think of no one better equipped than his sister-in-law. Nodding slowly, he looked at his brother and murmured, "Has this topic ever risen between the two of you?"

"Indeed it has," Elijah replied, and Klaus was not entirely certain, but he seemed to be detecting a hint of wistfulness in his sibling's voice. "There was a very… _intense_ moment, not too long after I had turned her, when Silv asked me whether I felt deprived of children."

There was a brief silence before Klaus inquired, "Do you?"

"No. I have had y… never mind. No, I do not feel deprived, not in the very least, Niklaus."

"Does Silv?"

Elijah shook his head. "She has had the opportunity, and she chose not to have children."

"Only because they would not have been yours," Klaus stated matter-of-factly, his eyes firmly on his brother's. A shadow crossed them now as Elijah's jaw set.

"That night, that very intense night I mentioned earlier, was when she told me. The moment she fell in love with me, she had made her choice. If she was to ever have children, she would have mine. And as I was not able to procreate, she decided that she would never have any. I was the one to take this away from her." His voice sounded hard, and Klaus understood that this must have been tugging at his older sibling's conscience for a while now.

"Elijah, it was Silv's choice. When she left you, back in the twenties, she had all the time in the world to have children with a human, but she chose not to. Do you believe she has regrets?"

"She never gave me that impression. But this is about you and Caroline, Niklaus, and we need to remember that unlike my wife, Caroline has not consciously made the choice not to have children. Despite the fact that it was not you who turned her, it is still your duty to help her cope. And I am absolutely certain that you will, in time. Let Silv have a conversation with Caroline first, and remember that I will always be there for the two of you, little brother."

There was a big lump in Klaus' throat as he looked at Elijah's earnest, sincere face. How had it taken him so long to recognize that his older brother would forever be at his side, no matter how devastating the storm they had to weather? What had blinded him so much for a thousand years?

"Lijah, I…" He hesitated, his voice hoarse.

The older Mikaelson gave a mischievous grin that quickly turned into a chuckle when he rose and strolled ahead towards the exit of the courtyard. "Please, brother. It frightens me when you turn sentimental."

_Me, too. And yet… I love you, Lijah._

* * *

Caroline and Silv sank into two plush leather armchairs at the Ritz's Hemingway Bar. They were pleasantly exhausted from their second day of shopping, a very successful day, judging by the sheer number of bags and boxes piling up next to their chairs. This morning, Silv had suddenly decided that there were about a dozen more shops to discover, and even though she adored all the shopping, Caroline had been somewhat reluctant to join her sister-in-law. Her previous night with Klaus had been incredibly fervent and intimate. He had been so loving, so passionate and tender – there had been something almost desperate about the way he had made love to her until long after the lights had crawled over the horizon, and she had had a very hard time agreeing to not seeing him for a few hours again today. He and Elijah were off to meet an old warlock acquaintance to carefully find out what he knew about the young witches and warlocks that had not yet been initiated, hoping he might be aware of and divulge the whereabouts of Louis Van Tale. She knew this was important, but oh, how she missed her man already! Fishing her phone from her purse, she decided to send him a quick text.

**Have I mentioned yet that last night was absolutely divine? That YOU were absolutely divine? Miss you, my love.**

His answer took mere seconds.

**_Don't make any plans for tonight, then. Or any other night from now to eternity, for that matter. Caroline Mikaelson, I cannot get enough of being with you… touching you… laughing with you. Of feeling just how deeply you love me. You are everything. _**

All of a sudden, she felt a surge of unbidden tears threatening to make their way to the surface. The feeling of belonging to someone so absolutely, so irrevocably, and being loved the way Klaus loved her – it made her want to shout out her joy, to run around this beautiful city and kiss each and every person she encountered. _Better not. The population will shrink considerably if he sees you doing that. _She stifled a slightly hysterical giggle. But she needed an outlet for her overwhelming, bubbling emotions, another fix of her husband, so to speak. She just never wanted this feeling to end. Aware of her own silliness, she grabbed her phone again.

**The Ritz. Hemingway Bar. Wherever you are, come and kiss me. Now.**

Not waiting for a response, she stowed her phone back in her purse and turned to Silv who was studying the drinks menu. Without looking up, the brunette said, "I feel like something other than champagne for a change. How about you?"

"Why not?" Caroline bit her lip, thinking of the bottle of Clos d'Ambonnay beside the hotel bed. She was sure another one would be waiting for her tonight. _Sigh. Why am I feeling so sloppily romantic today? Must be Paris._ "What would you suggest, then?"

"Hm. Cocktail?"

"Yep. You choose, I'll go with anything."

Silv grinned. "That's the spirit." She waived for the waiter who had been ogling them discreetly from behind his bar and hurried to take their order now. "Deux Hemingway Hot Wines, s'il vous plaît." The man nodded and gave Silv a bright smile.

"Bien sûr, Madame."

While he returned to his bar, Caroline raised a quizzical brow. "What did you order? Hemingway Hot Wine? What the heck is that?"

"It's one of the house's specialties, a winter drink, actually. It consists of Co…" Silv stopped when a sudden gust of wind interrupted her. Without a warning, Caroline was lifted from her armchair and found herself in her husband's arms. Strong, delicious and soft, his mouth was on hers, making her melt into him and forget who she was and which planet she was actually on. Klaus kissed her with the kind of abandon he usually didn't display in public. His hands were in her hair, his lips seduced her as masterfully as ever, and Caroline felt him grow hard against her thigh. Heat exploded inside her, making her give a low moan and grind her hips against his, wanting more… more… _Oh God, Niklaus, I need you now! Take me to a room, the roof, a restroom… I don't care as long as you just _take_ me!_

She had barely finished the thought when she was gently shoved back into her chair. And he was gone. _No! You can't leave me like this now, come on! _Struggling to find her way back into the present and get a grip on her out-of-control libido, her eyes found Silv's. Her sister-in-law had cocked her head to one side and crossed her legs.

"Well, as I was saying, it is made of Cognac, Port, Bordeaux, orange and cinnamon, and it is served warm. It was originally invented in this bar, which was one of Hemingway's favourite drinking haunts, and it is rather addictive, I must add."

They looked at each other for a second before their eyes widened and they burst into laughter. At that very moment, Caroline's phone vibrated.

**_I have no words for what you do to me._**

The butterflies began to dance Can-Can inside her stomach, making her wonder whether she would ever find adequate words to express her feelings for him herself.

**I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson. Body, heart and soul. But I have to tell you that my body is VERY upset right now.**

**_Wife – you called, I came. _**

She could almost see his lopsided grin and couldn't help a giggle.

**No. You didn't. But I'll rectify the situation tonight, husband. Repeatedly.**

**_Is that so? How?_**

Oh, now he was playing innocent? She would give him innocent!

**With my mouth, my hands and everything I have. Until you scream.**

There was a longer silence this time, and Caroline was about to put away the phone when it buzzed again.

**_Thank you. Now I'll have to go join the conversation with a bloody hard-on. Have I mentioned yet today that I love you? If not… I adore you, my Caroline. Body, heart, soul… and hard-on._**

Her heart was about to burst again, not to mention the heat inside her, and she wondered for an instant whether they would ever develop a routine in their relationship. She dearly hoped not, although something told her that even routine would be exciting with Klaus at her side. Looking up, she saw Silv watching her intently, and a faint blush began to colour her cheeks. She loved her sister-in-law, and she had shared so many secrets with her, yet it still made her self-conscious to have someone witness firsthand just how Klaus ruled her every thought and her entire being. Then again, Silv was not so different herself. Whenever her eyes rested on Elijah, she seemed to get as lost in her feelings for him as Caroline did in hers for Klaus. More than once, Caroline had happened upon the two of them kissing, and when they finally let go of each other, their eyes remained locked for a few more moments before they returned their attention to their surroundings. No, there was really no need to be ashamed of her feelings in front of Silv.

When the waiter arrived with their drinks and three small silver bowls filled with nuts, olives and tiny slices of parmesan cheese, Silv raised her glass.

"To love," she smiled warmly.

"To love." Sipping the strange drink, Caroline's eyes widened a fraction. "This is amazing! I could definitely get used to it."

"I know," Silv grinned, "I've tried to make it a couple of times, the recipe's on the internet, but I have the feeling that they omitted something. It never tastes quite the way it does in this bar." She set down her glass and returned her probing gaze to Caroline. "It's been quite a while now, but I still can't stop marveling at how Klaus has turned out since you met. Elijah said that not in his wildest dreams could he ever have imagined his little brother so wildly happy. He is very, very grateful to you, Caroline. You have brought back the brother he has always known was still inside the Big Bad Hybrid, but he said that shortly before you arrived on the scene, he had almost given up hope."

Taking another swig, Caroline closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of the alcohol run through her system. Or was it the warmth of Silv's words after all? She hoped her sister-in-law was right. It was obvious that Klaus was happy, very happy, but what if it wasn't enough in the long run? She ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. Until today, she hadn't spoken to anyone of her fear of not being enough, of her desire to give him more than just herself. Perhaps it was time now. If anyone would understand, it was Silv. When she opened her eyes again, she knew that the older woman could read the doubt in them.

"Silv, can I talk to you about something that has been worrying me for a while? I could really use your advice."

"Of course. Just hang on a minute." Caroline watched Silv get up and gracefully stroll over to the bartender, compelling him to close the bar for an hour and forget everything he would hear while they were here. Nodding, the man closed and locked the doors and returned to his counter. Silv took her seat and grabbed her glass. "What is it, Care?"

Gathering courage, Caroline took a deep breath and looked at her sister-in-law. "I know Klaus loves me, and I know he is happy with me. But… God, I don't know how to say this!"

"Just get it out. You're talking to me, sister, and nothing you say could ever shock me. Promise." She was probably right.

"Okay, I am afraid that I'm not enough for him. He's always wanted a family, and I want to give him that. I want to give him more than just plain old _me._ Family is so important to him, and that's why I want to find a way to…" She paused, biting her lips and looking down at her hands. "I want to find a way to give him a child, Silv. I know it's not possible, but nothing in the world of the supernatural is written in stone, is it? The Signum has done so many things we never thought could happen, so this could be another one. I just want to give him everything I can, and I have no idea how to do it!" Caroline knew her voice sounded a little desperate, but she didn't care. If felt good to say it out loud, to speak to someone other than Klaus about this. Clutching her glass, she gazed at Silv, a little nervous at whether the older woman would tell her she was completely deranged. Her sister-in-law's face was thoughtful, and she took her time before she nodded very slowly.

"I can entirely understand you, Care. Believe me, I do. The feeling of wanting to give, of wanting to make your man's every dream come true – it's something you cannot help but experience at some point when you truly love."

"It's happened to you, too?" Caroline whispered, her fingers tightening around her glass. Silv and Elijah seemed so… _complete,_ so totally in harmony with each other that it was difficult to imagine that either of them could be insecure about their relationship. Or wanting more.

Leaning back into her armchair, Silv nodded again. "You see, when I first fell for Elijah, everything was still so new. You remember how I told you that I wasn't truly certain of his feelings for me, and that I was not ready to be turned when he asked. One of the reasons was that I needed some more time to make up my mind about children. If I was to spend eternity with Elijah, I would never have any. That was an enormous thought, and one I had to wrap my head around. When we broke up and I returned to England, I finally understood my own feelings. Apart from making the greatest mistake of my life in leaving Elijah, it taught me that if I ever was to have any children, they would be his and his alone. During the decades he and I were separated, I admittedly did not lead the life of a nun. I had a few relationships, and there would have been more than one possibility to have kids with a human, but the thought never even crossed my mind. When we found each other again, I… well, it was one of my first thoughts. Could it happen? Could I find a way? So one day, I shared this with Elijah. It was a very heartfelt conversation, very draining, at the end of which we were both crying."

_Elijah? Crying? _

Silv smiled and squeezed Caroline's hand before she returned to her drink. "I know. It was a shock, to be perfectly honest. He cried because he was blaming himself for my not having had children during my life as a witch, and I cried because he did." She paused and looked at Caroline very earnestly. "Please do not speak to Klaus about what I will tell you now, can you promise me that?"

Swallowing hard, Caroline nodded solemnly. "I promise, Silv. You have my word."

"Thank you." Silv sighed and closed her eyes for a brief instant. Her voice was very low when she spoke again. "When I asked Elijah whether he had never longed for children, he said that he hadn't because he has… a son of his own."

Caroline had just taken a sip of her cocktail and all but spat it across the table now. "What?" she exclaimed, her eyes big and almost leaving her face as she stared at her sister-in-law now. "So during his human days, he has…?"

"No, nothing of the sort. Can't you guess?" Silv said softly.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. All of a sudden, Caroline felt another surge of tears rise as the answer dawned on her. "Niklaus," she breathed, and now the tears began falling down her cheeks, "he considers Niklaus his son, in a way, doesn't he? Oh, I…" She couldn't finish the sentence as sobs began to rack her. She had no idea why she was crying so hard now, but the thought was so lovely, so beautiful and so… fitting. She had always loved to see Klaus and Elijah together, and more than once, there had been something father-son-like about the two of them. Thinking back to the day she had told Klaus about Ralph, Caroline recalled how he had mentioned that on occasion, Elijah had indeed been a father to him. That made her cry even harder, and she scolded herself for being such an emotional pansy again. It seemed to happen a lot lately. Silv had risen from her chair and moved to sit on Caroline's armrest, pulling her into her embrace and hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry," Caroline sniffled between sobs, "it'll be over in a minute." _Geez, all this crying really has to stop!_

"What on Earth are you apologizing for? You love Klaus with all your heart, and you also love Elijah as a brother, so I would have been surprised had you just nodded and ordered another drink. Speaking of which…" Silv glanced over towards the bartender and pointed at their almost empty glasses. With a nod, the man set to work. Hugging Caroline once more, she looked down at her with a smile. "Better now?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Silv. Ugh, I'm such a major sissy!" Snatching her glass, Caroline downed the remains of her drink and cast a thankful glance at Silv who had returned to her chair. "So that's why Elijah never felt bad about not having kids, then. But… what about you, Silv? If you could, if there was a possibility to have Elijah's child, would you?"

The bartender brought their new drinks and cleared the old glasses. "I am not certain," Silv answered, a light frown creasing her forehead. "It would be a decision Elijah and I would have to take together. Which brings me to my next question – have you spoken to Klaus about this?"

Caroline's face fell. "Yes. He thinks there is no way and that I should not pursue the thought any further. But I'm not sure if this is really what he wants, you know?"

"Have you asked him what you have just asked me? Whether he really _wants _a child, should there be a way?"

"Not in so many words. He is very reluctant whenever I bring up this topic, and he did say something about how he needed no one but me, but he has always wanted a family, hasn't he? And doesn't every man want an heir?"

Leaning forward, Silv rested her elbows on her thighs as she spoke. "Men want heirs to carry on their names, their deeds, their legacy. Klaus does not need any of that – he will live forever, Caroline, he does not require an heir. He does not need a part of him to live on in someone else, because _he _will live on. And I do believe he has been sincere when he said he needed no one but you. Also, he does have a family today, however long it may have taken him to recognize that. Tell me, Care, do you want a child because you truly want it, for the sake of having a child, or out of your deeply-rooted need to give Klaus everything you can? Please don't get me wrong, I do not want to talk you out of it – or into it, for that matter – but before you give yourself true heartache and grief over this, you should be absolutely certain of your own motivations."

_Do I want a child? Really want it? Or do I want to please him? _

_You should think hard about this, Caroline, Silv is right. _

"Can you give me a minute, Silv? I'll step out for a moment and…"

"No, stay here, please. I'll go, as I wanted to call Davina anyway. I'll be back shortly." She gave Caroline a warm, heartfelt smile and left the bar, waving for the bartender to follow her out of the room and give Caroline some space. With a deep sigh, Caroline took up her glass and sipped again, losing herself in her thoughts.

_Children… was that something you have dreamed of when you were still human?_

_I don't know… I can't really remember. It was all so far away at that time, I thought I had many more years to make that decision. _

_Let's jump into the deep end of the pool – if you would lose him over this, would you still want a child?_

_No. A definite no. Nothing could ever be worth losing him over it. Not even a kid. _

_Then why are you so keen on finding a way?_

_Because I love him, so much, and he's been so lonely for so long. I want him never to be lonely again, and I want him to know where he belongs and who belongs with him._

_Don't you think he knows that already? And look at how he is now, compared to how he was when you first met him. Almost everything he did back then, he did out of loneliness. Remember how Bekah once told you about their conversation when he went amok on the whole of Mystic Falls to create his Hybrids? How she had asked him whether he did that just so he would no longer be lonely? _

_Yeah, of course I remember. What are you getting at?_

_Caroline Mikaelson, your husband may still have a temper, he is still power-hungry and only the teensiest bit vengeful. But do you seriously think that any of this stems from loneliness?_

_Not really, not anymore, but… _

_No buts. He is happy with you, blindingly happy, and you know that. He has given up New Orleans to Kol because he wanted to travel, just the two of you, for years. He likes to be with his family, but he prefers to be alone with you whenever he can._

_That's because he's a sex maniac!_

_Oh, and you aren't?_

_That's beside the point._

_Whatever. What I'm saying is that you should probably take his word for it when he says he doesn't need anyone but you and the family he has now. _

_But don't they all say that at the beginning, and then they go totally gaga over their kids once they are there?_

_Ahm… as Niklaus said, Caroline, this is not Twilight. Ask him. Ask him flat out whether he wants a child if you find a possibility. _

_And if he says he doesn't?_

_Then believe him. He has always been honest with you, why would he start lying now?_

_Because he doesn't know that somewhere deep down, he wants it after all?_

_Caroline, you're getting on my nerves. The man is over one thousand years old. Trust me – he knows what he wants and doesn't want. But you… is this all because a child is so important to you, or because the chance to procreate was taken away from you and you are obsessing over something you can't have? Or is it something else entirely?_

_I don't know. _

_Then think!_

_Well, I… guess I want our bond to deepen further. And to have the choice. Be able to make that decision, like I should be._

_Ah, now we're getting somewhere. So if you were both human, would you make that decision all by yourself, without agreeing on it with Niklaus?_

_Of course not! _

_Then why are you trying to do that now?_

_Maybe because… oh, I don't know! _

_Caroline Mikaelson. You will speak to him. A real talk. And if his answer is no, then you will live with it. You said it yourself – nothing is more important than he is. You need to discuss this together, the way a married couple who love each other so deeply should. And you will accept his point of view, just as he will always accept yours, is that clear?_

Squeezing her eyes shut, Caroline took her glass and drained it. She definitely needed another drink.

* * *

When they reached the privacy of their suite that same evening, Caroline was very nervous. After her inner dialogue, she had spoken to Silv again who had agreed that they should have some time to themselves to really talk things through. She had immediately called Elijah, asking him to take her on a quick trip to Rouen in Normandy, leaving that same evening and staying away overnight. To Caroline's surprise, neither Elijah nor Klaus had objected, and so her brother and sister had left in the early hours of the evening. When Klaus had asked her whether she wanted to go out and have dinner somewhere, she had just shaken her had and told him that she needed to speak with him.

And now here they were, seated on the comfortable couch on their suite's opulent terrace. When the silence between them stretched into several minutes, Klaus rose and knelt in front of her, pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands possessively on her lower back. Looking up into her tense face, he tightened his grip and pressed a tender kiss to the delicate skin of her cleavage, right underneath the hollow of her throat.

"Caroline, do talk to me. Nothing you could have to say can be reason enough for the worry in your eyes. Whatever it is, we will deal with it together. Please, my darling." He got up from his knees and slid onto the couch next to her, lifting her onto his lap and burying her securely in his arms before he kissed her hair, lingering. Closing her eyes, Caroline gave herself over to his loving ministrations for a few minutes, caressing his face and reveling in the sweet sound of his contented sighs. Snuggling into the curve of his shoulder, she kissed his throat and began to speak in a low, nervous whisper.

"I know we have touched on this topic before, and I know that you don't really fancy it, Niklaus, but I would like to talk about… children again." She had expected him to tense, to stiffen. Yet he merely nodded against her hair.

"Yes, we should speak about this, my love. I know it has been occupying your mind for quite a while now, and I have not been overly sensitive about it, which I would like to apologize for, Caroline. I should have had this conversation with you much earlier, instead of curbing the topic whenever you brought it up. Forgive me."

Her heart skipped an imaginary beat at the honest regret she heard in his voice. "There is nothing to forgive, Niklaus, and please don't worry. We're talking about it now, and I'm glad we are. I'm just a little nervous, I guess."

"So am I. Would you prefer to sit down at the table?" he asked hesitantly.

"No. I want you to hold me, Niklaus."

"Always," he whispered, pressing her against his chest and briefly burying his face in her neck before he sat them both upright so they could look at each other. Caroline wondered whether her heart would explode someday, burst with all the love she felt for this beautiful man of hers. With a deep sigh, she kissed his lips very lightly and leaned back, feeling his arms strong and steady around her.

"Can we just skip the discussion about the feasibility of all this and proceed under the assumption that a way can be found?" she asked warily, never taking her eyes off his. He nodded, his face serious, and she went on. "Okay. So I think I'll just jump right in. Would you _want_ children, Niklaus? With me?" Holding her breath, she gauged his face for a reaction, and her heart clenched uncomfortably when he squeezed his eyes shut, obviously summoning up courage, and opened them again to look at her with trepidation. He gave a shaky breath before he answered.

"No. I would not." When her face contorted in a sudden, wild flash of pain, he held up his hand. "Please let me explain, Caroline. It will surprise you to hear this, but ever since you first mentioned children to me, I have given them a great amount of thought, asking myself whether it is something I secretly wished for. I am so very sorry, my love, but I it is not, and this is the honest truth. That said, you know that I love you more than anything, and that your happiness is the one thing that matters to me above all others. Above my own. It is of vital importance to me that you are content. So if this is your heart's desire, if you say to me that you cannot be truly happy, that your life is incomplete without a child, then I… will support your wish. But you need to be aware that I would do it for no other reason than your happiness, Caroline. It is not something I need and not something that would complement my life. My apologies if this sounds harsh, my darling. I assure you I do not want to cause you any pain by saying all of this, but I believe that you should know how I feel about it. I have never been overly enthusiastic about children; it is not that I dislike them, but they are also not something I have ever longed for. But I long for you, Caroline, all the way down into the darkest depths of my soul. I need you so badly it frightens me sometimes. When I wake from one of my nightmares, it is you who gives me peace of mind, taking me in your arms and whispering to me how everything will be well again. When I make love to you and I feel how you give your heart, your soul and your body to me, and how you take everything I am in return, I want to sink to my knees and worship at your feet. When I open my eyes in the morning, I see your lovely face, so relaxed and trusting, and I know that I am complete. I need you, Caroline Mikaelson, I need you every day, and this is something that will never change. So if you can honestly tell me that you want a child because that is what you, _you,_ truly want, I will help you find a way. If you, however, want it out of your desire to give _me_ what you believe I need, then my answer is no. Wholeheartedly and truthfully. Because what I need is you, my beautiful girl. Full stop."

She made no move to hide the tears that were streaming down her cheeks now. Klaus leaned forward, and with infinite tenderness, he kissed every inch of her face, again and again, until she finally stopped crying and leaned against his shoulder, sniffling quietly. His hands were softly stroking her back while she had wrapped her arms around him, holding him as close as she could. They sat like that forever, until she heard his strangled whisper.

"Say something. Please."

He was suffering. Suffering because he thought he was making her unhappy with his honesty, and because he believed that he was not enough for her, that she needed more than him to be complete and fulfilled! Just as she had always been insecure about being all he needed! A sudden thought crossed her mind as she gazed into his anguished face now – was she so keen on this because she unconsciously thought that a child would bind him to her more irrevocably? Deep down, hidden in the darkest corner of her mind, was she actually still afraid he would leave her one day? Was that one of her reasons? Was she trying to find an additional way to strengthen their bond? Appalled at herself, she jumped from the couch, from his arms, and began to pace the terrace. His eyes had widened when she had left his embrace, and the pain in them cut her open and left her bleeding. But she needed another moment, a moment to herself, to find an answer to her unspoken question. Walking back and forth, she let her mind reel, knowing that the only way to get to the core of things was to allow her thoughts to flow freely, not censuring, not chastising herself. She knew he loved her with all his heart, and she also knew that she had helped him find his way back to himself, for which he was grateful. They carried their golden marks, and they were so deeply connected. But she understood that somewhere inside her, the insecure teenage girl did sometimes raise a hand to ask what this man, this beautiful, intelligent, clever, literate, worldly and insanely sexy man had first seen in her. This girl was also the one to quietly whisper that she needed to make sure this man, the man she loved so madly, never escaped her again, Signum or no Signum. And what was more effective than a baby to bind a man?

_My God. I'm really trying to do this, am I not? How the fuck can I be this pathetic? _

She closed her eyes and stopped her frantic pacing, unable to believe how she could have been so stupid. After all they had gone through, after everything she had done for him and he had done for her, she still had doubts. How could she? How? She was being the greatest idiot on the freaking planet! She really didn't deserve him, did she? With a groan, Caroline sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands, ashamed of herself. In less than a heartbeat, she felt herself being lifted from the ground and carried inside. He set her down on the bed and removed her shoes, followed by his own, before he slipped onto the mattress beside her, surrounding her with his arms and holding her to him. Caroline still didn't dare to open her eyes, not even when she felt him take her hand and place it over his heart.

"Caroline. Will you look at me?" She shook her head. "Look. At. Me." Very gradually, she opened her eyes. His face was a mask of anxiety, but she also detected something else. Calm determination. It was the expression he always wore when making a vital decision. He cupped her cheek and stared into her face. His voice was very strained, giving a clear indication of how dearly his next words cost him. "My love, I meant what I said earlier. If this is of such elementary importance to you, I will help you find a way. I will stand by you in everything, and we will make this work somehow. You have my word, Caroline. We will find a way."

He would do it. For her. A new wave of hot shame rolled through her entire being. There was nothing he wouldn't do, nothing he wouldn't give for her, and she was behaving like the hysterical cheerleader she had once been – and apparently still was to an extent. And there she had always thought that _he_ was damaged goods! _Okay, you coward. Tell him what an idiot you are. Now._ She opened her eyes fully to take in his pained face. Then she took his head in her hands and kissed him, deeply and thoroughly, pouring her heart into the kiss that left them both panting. Pulling out of the passionate embrace, she slid backwards so she could look at him, but held his face while she did.

"No, Niklaus. We will not." His eyes widened, but when he began to speak, Caroline put a finger to his lips. "I wanted to do this for you, to give you a family, but that was not the only reason. I…" She broke off, trying to summon her courage and failing miserably. Now his lips were on hers, unbearably softly, and he kissed her eyes before he whispered.

"Tell me, my heart. I need to know."

Swallowing audibly, Caroline nodded. "I think it was because I… wanted to… make sure that you…" she stammered, unable to complete the sentence. Klaus' eyes turned so gentle and tender that it was all she could do to fight down the next looming crying jag.

"You wanted to ascertain that I never walked out on you?" he asked quietly, exhaling sharply when she nodded. Clenching her teeth, she braced for his wrath, waiting for him to shout at her that she was being stupid, that he was disappointed in her lack of confidence and trust, and that he would need to reassess their entire relationship. What she had definitely not expected was the way he drew her deeper into his arms and gazed at her with such love and adoration that everything around her came to a stop.

"Listen very closely, my darling. No one understands doubt and insecurity better than I do, and I could never blame you for those little moments of skepticism. I have to go through them myself – it is quite often that I ask in bewildered wonder just I have come to deserve all of this heavenly bliss I am experiencing with you. So let me reassure you, Caroline." His eyes blazed with intensity when his hands pulled her closer. "I have come to know myself a little bit over the past thousand years, and I can therefore say one thing with absolute certainty. Your hold over me is eternal and unbreakable. It has no need of reinforcement, incentives or anything else. I have chosen you as absolutely as you have chosen me, and I cannot and will not live without you ever again. We have not been together for an overly long time, which is why I do understand that despite everything, these moments still happen. So I will give you a promise, here and tonight: Whatever little doubts you may still feel on occasion, my love, I will make them go away. With every day, every year and every century that passes. You will never lose me, my love for you will never diminish, and you will always be what my life revolves around. Nothing you do or say can ever tear me from your side. I know that there are no guarantees in love, but this is the one exception to the rule – I _am_ giving you this guarantee, my Caroline. I will belong to you in a hundred thousand years as completely as I belong to you today. I apologize for the melodramatic declaration, but I want you to know exactly how I feel, and I want you to believe me."

Caroline had stopped breathing long ago. She was unable to tear her gaze from the stark honesty shining in his eyes, and everything inside her seemed to be glowing with warmth and her helpless love for Klaus. His arms tightened around her as he breathed a gentle kiss on her hair before he spoke again.

"As I said earlier, I have given this a great deal of thought, and I mean it – a child is not something I need to be whole, and it will not bring us closer together. We are so close, my love, so very close, and that will never change. Trust me, please. As long as I have your love, I have everything. But what is most important in this scenario is your wellbeing. Is a child what will give you the happiness you crave, Caroline?"

It was hard to shake off the daze. She stared at him silently for another long while before she slowly shook her head. "No," she whispered, and while she spoke, she understood that she was telling the truth. "You are what makes me happy. _So_ happy. That's why I wanted to give you _more_, and that's why I want so desperately to keep you. Maybe it's also a little bit about the choice that's been taken from me when I was turned, but… I can live without a child. I just can't live without you."

"And you will never have to. I have told you once before that I am so very sorry that you no longer have that particular choice. You were so young when you were turned, merely a teenager, and I am certain that the question of whether you wanted or did not want children at some point in your life was not yet on your radar. The thought will return to you from time to time over the years, and I want your promise that you will always, _always_ come to me and discuss it, just as I will give you my word to always be there for you." Klaus sat up and pulled her with him, lifting her so she was sitting between his legs on the middle of the bed, her legs wrapped around his hips. He gathered her close and rested his cheek against hers, his lips almost brushing her ear as he continued to speak in a low, silken whisper. "I love you, Caroline, and I need you happy, content and safe at my side. Whatever it takes to fulfil your wishes, I am prepared to do it."

Her hands were slowly running up and down his back as she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Very gradually, she felt herself relax as she pondered everything he had just said to her. No, she didn't miss anything as long as she was at his side. Klaus was her home, the love of her life, and her happiness stood or fell with him and him alone. He was prepared to go against his own wishes for her. But did that give her the right to impose her wishes on him, knowing it was not something he truly wanted? Not being sure that it was what _she herself _truly wanted? Not knowing for certain whether she was just trying to tie him to her? The answer to that was much easier than she had thought it would be. Caroline pulled him closer as she made her decision – a compromise with herself. She would not actively try to find out whether there was a possibility. But should the chance ever present itself over the centuries to come, in whatever shape or form, she would sit down with Klaus again and explore their stance anew. Openly and honestly.

_God, it feels like a weight was lifted from my shoulders! It feels… right._

Sitting back, she took Klaus' hands and gazed up into his still anguished face. "Please stop worrying, my love," she breathed. "I think I have an idea." Explaining her thoughts, she never took her eyes off his while she spoke, relieved to see him soften infinitesimally. When she was finished, he raised both of her hands to his lips and kissed each of them.

"I agree wholeheartedly. Should we ever tumble across anything of the sort, we will speak again. In the meantime, remember to come to me whenever the topic of children preoccupies you. Or any other topic, for that matter. Promise?"

"Promise." Caroline rose to her knees, resting her hands on his shoulders and gazing down into his stormy eyes. "I need to make love to you, Niklaus," she whispered urgently, "and I need to do it now."

He swallowed and she felt his hands on her thighs, slowly moving north. "Yes," he breathed almost inaudibly, "please, Caroline. Love me."

"More than my own life." Drowning his groan with a deep, sensual kiss, she began to slowly undress him.

Very much later, when they were both finally sated and resting, entangled in each other, Caroline raised her head. "We will put an end to the warlocks, won't we?"

Klaus smiled and pulled her onto him so she was sprawled out over the full length of his body. "Of course we will."

"Good. Will Big Bad Hybrid Klaus make an appearance, then?"

Chuckling, he raised an eyebrow. "He just might. Why do you ask?"

She moved her hips, sliding sinuously over his and feeling him harden. His subdued gasp was making the heat pool between her legs. Again. "Because I just love to be shagged into oblivion by that guy. He's hot."

"He's yours." When she blinked next, Caroline found herself with her back on the terrace's wide stone wall, her legs spread. In one swift thrust, Klaus was inside her. He had turned, all yellow eyes and double fangs, pounding into her with all his might, rough, brutal and wild. Her eyes glazed over when his fangs sunk into her neck, and she gave a deep, primal growl as she bit his soft skin and let his supple Golden Blood flood her mouth, all the while meeting his thrusts one by one, until they both surrendered to each other.

Their joint cries of release were carried out into the night, flowing through the velvety air and dissolving into a memory somewhere between the starry skies and the twinkling Parisian lights.

A memory of incandescent beauty.

A memory of unconditional love.

A memory they would never tire of recreating.

Until all time ended.

***THE END. FOR REAL.***

* * *

**Bye, guys. I'll miss you all!**


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